Moonstruck Souls
by JacklynnFrost
Summary: HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight, the main character would have been named Jacklynn, and there would have been a lot more lovin'. I claim nothing! NOTHING!

A/N: I'm breaking out of my box, and trying something new. Go easy on me. Thank my beta for being hella awesome –Synphilia!

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?  
-Albert Einstein

Prologue

I have to jump. I know it will kill me, it will suck my soul from my body… but he is worth it. Edward is worth everything. What is one soul for the price of his freedom? This will give Edward his life back, quite literally. I would pay this price so Edward wouldn't have to. I could do this! I will do this!

James laughed his hands digging into my shoulders, my feet on the edge, and my hand gripping his forearms, the only things between me and the ocean far below.

James had to come with me. How had I expected to overcome him? He was impossibly strong and I was barely starting to learn what I could do with my 'gift'. I had to find a way to bring him down with me. I took a deep breath, and kicked off the ledge, pulling James with more than my hands. He tumbled with me, laughing.

"I'm already dead, _love_." James taunted, his face showing nothing but cold satisfaction and confidence.

Chapter One: Piece of Before

I have never worked so hard in my life; I was sweating for vampire's sake! I smelled gross, my clothes were dirty and I wanted a milkshake, a banana one with real bits of fruit in it. God, I would miss the heat. It makes smoothies taste that much better. Whoever heard of Forks anyways, let alone move there! They are known for their rain. _Hello! Someone's lost their flippin' mind, and it isn't me!_

"Pick up the pace, Bella!" Alice called from the back of the moving truck. She was a slave driver, mistakenly called my sister. Admittedly, all of this had been my idea. What better wedding present than having all the moving done when Meme gets back? She didn't have to worry about a thing; the house was up for sale and we already had a few offers.

Selling the house was necessary, but it was the passing of a time I didn't want to let go of yet. I full heartedly agreed to Esme and Carlisle's marriage, but a part of me was mourning. This is where Alice and I grew up with our real father Charlie. He's been gone for almost ten years, so I wasn't upset that Esme finally moved on. Quite the opposite, Meme had been so torn I thought she'd never move on, and here I am, postponing moving on myself. _Hypocrite much?_

"Belly?" Alice asked. Her domineering attitude replaced with concern. Something you need to know about Alice, is she can rebound from any emotion, and change them so quickly it gives normal people whiplash, but she doesn't hold a grudge. It's one of those things I wish I could do, but always fall short. Don't get me wrong. Alice remembered everything, and used those things to her advantage when she wanted too, but you knew you were forgiven.

She used my nick name, Alice would never admit it, but she grew up with a speech impediment. It's where the name Meme came from too, since she isn't our birth mother. It worked out rather nice as her kind-of pet name. We had a little difficulty when Charlie and Esme started dating. We were young, around four and we'd never had a mom before… well the topic came up on what to call Esme and Meme was an in-between.

I could tell Alice anything. To anyone else, she had just said my nick-name, but I knew Alice inside and out. We were twins, definitely not identical, but because we spent almost every hour of every day together since the very beginning, we had a connection, and that one word packed a whole lot of meaning and questions.

"We'll still be the three musketeers, right?" I asked, turning my whole body to face Alice instead of just my head. She straightened, her eyes telling me she was worried about the same thing. Meme is the longest and most constant, loving parent figure we had. Sure, it wasn't the normal family set up, and it wasn't our dad's fault, he passed when we were young. We could still remember him, but it was just us three. Part of me wanted it to stay that way.

"Absolutely, we'll just be adding Carlisle and his weird-ass kids to the bunch." Like we had any room to call them weird! Alice jumped down from the moving truck before she was finished with 'rearranging' to get the most space. I sighed, Alice wasn't lying, she was just being hopeful. Alice would have seen something if this was going to be awful, but that goes both ways. She would have seen if it was going to be great too. I studied Alice's face.

"You haven't seen anything?" Her shoulders stiffened at my words, and I involuntarily put my hand on her upper arm. She hated going into something blind. Usually I just said 'welcome to my world', but this was too serious of a topic. It wasn't just the first day of school or a shopping trip she wasn't sure she'd get her eyed after item. This was the rest of our lives. She shook her head slowly, negative. Oh, by the way, my sister can see the future. It's based on peoples decisions, so they are changeable, no worries.

This worried me, of course. Without Alice giving me tips on our next move, I was kind of lost too. We went back to moving. Fitting all of Esme's decorations and household items had proved impossible to move in one trip. This was our second truck, the first one had arrived this morning, and if we wanted the rest of our stuff on time, this truck had to be on its way by three. Carlisle knew the plan, and had the flights changed to go home, instead of getting us first.

I wasn't stressed about that; I was worried where we were going to sleep. Everything was packed away besides the boxes in the attic, and our overnight bag for our carry on. No blankets, no beds and definitely no pillows. I sighed, taping the box up and writing 'A and B' on the side with a bold permanent marker.

Carlisle had a million rooms, but Alice and I wanted to share. She picked the one with the biggest closet, and that was fine by me. Carlisle had three children living with him, and like Esme none of them were actually his. He had a set of twins, as close to identical as a boy and a girl can be, they were foster children. He had been a friend of their departed father, and their mother was a drug head. They had been with Carlisle for twelve years, and he called them his children. Emmett was a new addition; they were actually related this time. Emmett was Carlisle's nephew, and he just lost his parents this past year in a fire. He was still recovering, according to Esme. She never said much about it. Esme didn't want to betray anyone's trust by saying too much. It stemmed from her being a psychologist and the doctor-patient confidentiality thing. Carlisle didn't want to talk about it yet since he'd just lost his sister. We understood.

Well anyways. There was still an extra room, while everyone else had their own. I liked it that way. Alice and I had a place to go for just us two. We could be ourselves. Now that there were others in our new house, we'd have to go back to hiding again. We were used to being careful in public, but the safeness that was our home was over. Alice couldn't zone out for a minute or two without someone staring, and I couldn't talk to people that no one else could see.

Oh, right, I can see dead people. Well, their ghosts or spirits or whatever you want to call them. Some move on and others get stuck between. If they can't get their last wish fulfilled or if they have a lot of excess emotions, they don't ever move on. Some of them are mean, and others… aren't. They really are just like the people they had been when they were alive.

Once the last of all the bedroom things were stacked in the truck, Alice, I mean the controlling mastermind boss of this whole operation, declared a break. _Finally!_ I plopped down in the yard, my butt hitting the earth harshly, jarring me a bit. I didn't mind, my feet were screaming elaborate thank you's to me. Alice walked over with a cold bottle of water swinging it back and forth. She handed it over, I had it cracked open and too my lips before she could sit down.

"I'm going to miss this house." Alice told me, bringing her own water to her mouth. She folded her legs, her knee knocking against mine. Her tight jean shorts road up and more of her thin tan leg shown, I was in work out pants, and it showed how different we really were.

"Me too." I whispered back, looking up at the modest two story house. Esme had moved into the house with us when Charlie was still around. He had bought this house, and I didn't remember living anywhere else. It would take awhile for me to adjust to this not being home. It might always be what I think of when I hear 'home'. How could all of this be replaced?

"Remember when you slipped and cracked your chin on that step?" Alice asked, pointing to the second to the bottom front step. "Dad carried you through the hospital, screaming for a doctor because you had blood all over you." She shook her head from side to side. "You only needed two stitches, but dad was convinced you'd broken your jaw or worse." I had a scar on my chin, it was faint, but it was a reminder. That whole time was a bit hazy for me; I think I blocked it out since Dad was freaking out so much.

"Or the time he brought us to the station's Princess dance?" I asked, meeting Alice's torn eyes. It was an internal battle between the mirth of the old memories and the misery surrounding our dad's empty spot reserved in our hearts.

"He built that railing for you." She said, ignoring the Princess dance memory. It was my favorite, and since Alice was avoiding it, I was guessing that memory was too much for her to remember right now. I changed to another memory for her. Glad that we've come this far, that we could reminisce about dad at a time like this.

"What about when that boy on the play ground pushed you." I asked, "Your elbow and knees were all skinned, and dad threatened to take the kid to jail." Alice let out a chuckle, as I brought the memory forth from the dusty unused cabinet of 'dad memoirs' in my head.

"That boy's mom was so mad. That boy wouldn't stop crying when dad flashed his badge." Alice elaborated, her eyes filling with joy. I was glad she went with happy remembrance and not the alternative. "Dad wasn't ever very good at dealing with those kinds of things." I nodded, knowing what she meant.

"He wasn't very good at cooking either." I grimaced, all those failed experiments. We lived off of microwavable meals before Esme entered the picture. Really, it's no wonder Alice and I have… talents. We were probably radioactive from all the microwaves and preservatives in those early stages of development. It was the most logical explanation.

We sat in silence, looking out at the empty yard, a reminder of what we were really leaving behind, just a house. No one we had been slightly friends with had come to say goodbye. We had told them the last week of school that we were moving, but we weren't really close to any of them. It was a little upsetting though. Not one person that we had grew up with since kindergarten had stopped over to say a quick goodbye. Sure, we were weird, and there were a few times when I had been pulled out of class for talking to invisible people, and Alice had froze up just to come back screaming, or laughing about something that hadn't happened yet…

Alright… I guess it was reasonable for most of our so called friends to steer clear of the crazy-Swan-twins. Alice and I probably wouldn't have said goodbye to any of them either, if the roles had been reversed. Honestly, I don't think we had been to any of their houses, nor them ours. I shrugged it off. Alice has been my only friend, my best friend since forever, that was more than enough for me.

I was kind of glad to leave this reputation behind. Sure, we would slip up every now and again, but there was a difference on how I handle things now, and how I did when I was too young to understand. Maybe Alice and I could make some real friends.

I finished off my water bottle and turned to face Alice. I was ready to finish packing. Then maybe we would get smoothies. We'd have to call a taxi, since Esme sold her van, but that would be fine. Carlisle left us more than enough money to take care of all our needs for a year, not just the week of their honeymoon. We called every night, more for Esme to know we were safe and to ask us if all the doors were locked. She was our mother before anything else, and that didn't change just because she had someone to share those responsibilities with now.

Sigh.

"Let's just get this over with before I have an aneurism." I stretched my arms and shoulders, and stood. I had a tendency to over-think things. Esme was happy, and I was happy that she was finally really happy. That was a lot of happiness… I would figure out my new place in this family, it would be fine. I had Alice and honestly, I felt close to Carlisle too. He'd come down every other month for a weekend, and she'd go up the next month for a weekend.

Oh, I guess you are wondering how a single mother from Phoenix Arizona met a single dad from Forks Washington. Well, funny story actually. See, Meme is a psychologist… that's actually how Charlie found her for Alice and I. Well, anyways, Meme would go to these conferences, all paid for to further her education and things along those lines.

Carlisle is a doctor in his small town. He's always had a curiosity for things a little supernatural. Or, so he told us, but Meme swears that she kept our secret, so he couldn't know about us. Well, through his hospital he found this flyer for a week long convention in Ely, Nevada called 'The Power of The Mind.' Right up both of their alleys. From there, it was history. They kept in touch, even wrote letters for awhile, it was really sweet. The monthly visits one way or the next had been going on for a year. We weren't hurting for money, but it was an unnecessary expense.

So next comes marriage, and that's where this story begins, a whole new chapter to the twisted, series of unfortunate events that is Alice's and my life.

"We have the attic and the Christmas stuff still in the garage." Alice told me, she was standing beside me, bending at the hip to touch the ground, stretching her side out. It was hard packing up a whole house, especially when there is only the two of us, and stuff got heavy. I'd never used a power drill before, but I hoped I had torn down Esme's bed the right way. If not, I'm sure Carlisle can share his bed. I rolled my eyes at myself. I am never moving again!

"Christmas." I told Alice's butt as she bent the other way, she was a ridiculous holiday fan. Particularly Christmas; last year she had us wearing matching candy cane outfits for our 'opening presents photo shoot.' The whole house was a winter wonderland, and if I hadn't known otherwise, I would have sworn Alice had switched our house for a gingerbread one. Meme didn't mind as long as she cleaned it up, and that meant I had to clean it up. "Better yet, let's just leave that stuff here."

"Oh, shut up and come on." She growled slightly, shooting up too quickly, with my balance I would have fallen. She elbowed me lightly as she walked past, "we're almost done," she turned to smile at me "then we have the rest of the day for relaxation." Her too cheerful face mixed with her words. Oh heck no! I knew what that meant!

"No!" I cried out, real horror in my voice as I stepped toward her. "Not after a week like this, Alice have mercy!" I begged, following after her, slower than before. This was awful. "I just want to curl up on the hard floor and read." She snorted ahead of me before stopping and putting her hands on her hips. She wasn't going to give me this one, I was doomed.

"We aren't staying here tonight! I can't sleep on a floor!" She looked like I'd asked her to eat a worm. "We are taking a cab to the airport, I already have the hotel room set up, and two spaces at the spa reserved for all day and all night." I dropped my head. Deal with it Bella, this week isn't for you, and this is how Alice makes herself feel better. I groaned, but held back my comments.

"They have all you can drink smoothies at the spa." Alice said, turning around with a smile and my head shot up. Yes! I could deal with acupuncture or waxing if I had a smoothie and a book in my hand. Oh, Alice, she played dirty. She knew I couldn't resist all you can drink smoothies!

I caught up with her. Helping her bring down the Christmas box from the loft, dust sprinkled down around us, and I coughed. Alice sneezing dropping her side of the tree. Aw, this was awful. All the Christmas stuff had an inch layer of dust on them. We must have forgotten about the tarp last year. Gross.

"I won't tell if we just donate everything." I told Alice once we dropped the Christmas tree into the truck. Her mouth popped open as she climbed in, pulling as I pushed the damn thing.

"Carlisle's house is ridiculously huge! We don't even have enough decorations as it is! You never think Bella." She whispered the last part and mumbled some other things under her breath. Her head shook from side to side as she flipped the tree box upright to take up less room. I chuckled at her. Waiting for her to come down to carry the rest of the million blue plastic tubs filled with Christmas shit to the truck.

"I think logically." I told her, "the less you put up, the less I have to take down." She snorted, her smile letting me know she knew full well what she did to me every year. Her Christmas gifts almost made up for it, if I wanted to be fair about this. I always got two sets from her. One that was really for her, like outfits that I won't wear unless Alice blackmails me or guilt trips me into them, and then my real present that she knows I'll love.

"Attic!" Alice chimed once the last of the garage was packed, excited about getting done, but more excited about getting to the… airport hotel spa. I realized what exactly she had said before we started on the Christmas items. Jesus, God almighty, I cursed slightly, airport hotels were over priced as it is! Why would she pick there? We could have booked a just out of town hotel and took a taxi to the airport early tomorrow morning.

"How much did this… spa hotel cost?" I asked, afraid to know the answer. I followed her through the house. We went in through the garage door and up the steps just past our old room.

"I'm in charge of Carlisle's money, you don't mind yourself one bit!" Alice said, pulling the string for the attic ladder, she moved to the side so nothing would fall on her; like we needed another layer of dust covering the both of us.

"Who put you in charge?" I whined, almost stomping my foot for emphasis but decided that was childish and kept my foot on the ground.

"Esme. She knows you would have had us living on PB and J for this whole week so you could save Carlisle's money. It was have it all spent or none of it, and she picked me!" Alice explained matter of fact like. Although it was true, I still didn't like it.

"You shouldn't waste all of it!" I told her about going to another hotel and getting a taxi early in the morning. She snorted, not even considering my point, completely ignoring my suggestion and going up the creaking ladder. I wasn't mad, this is just how Alice is, and I am used to it. I just had to attempt to talk her out of it. I sighed, and followed her up, stopping half way. She could pass me the boxes, and once they were all out, we could carry them to the truck. Hopefully in one or two trips, and we'd be done. I could see her on all fours. Alice stared, unmoving.

"Is it a vision?" I whispered. She froze whenever she received one, if it was a long one.

"This is dad's stuff." She told me, turning to look in my eyes for a second before turning back. "Esme said she donated it a couple years ago… she must not have been able to give it up." I swallowed, my throat thickening with held back tears. Alice and I had asked her repeatedly to at least clean his stuff out of their closet. She must have given in because we pressured her, but couldn't get rid of it.

I climbed the rest of the way up, crawling beside Alice as she unfolded the brown box. Yup, it was Charlie's uniform and some of his old sweaters. Alice and I thought it would be good for her to… I don't know, have a break from looking at all the things that just reminded us. We didn't want to get rid of his memory, just make it easier on everyone. Like I said, it's been almost ten years, and we had asked her to pack his things up about three years ago. That was a long time.

"Should we donate them?" I whispered. Esme had moved on, but she still loved our dad. Just the fact that she hadn't gotten rid of this stuff was proof of that. "This is… kind of awkward." I mean… Esme was married to someone else now. I'm sure bringing her ex-husbands old stuff with her wouldn't' be right, right? He was our dad, and we were good at mentally separating his things from him personally.

"Let's donate them." I told her, planning out the closest Salvation Army box. We would have to put this stuff in the taxi then, and take a detour. I was giving her something to hold on to for her visions. We did that often for us to figure out the best option.

"She'll be upset that everything of his is gone. She doesn't want to just forget about him." Alice whispered, playing into my decision. So, I planned out keeping them, maybe putting everything in our new attic, keeping the attic tradition alive.

"Carlisle will be upset, although he wouldn't say anything. Esme will be upset that he is upset." Great, Alice told me, trying to think of some solution.

"Not the clothes." I told her. "The clothes go, but some of the things we can keep. Half and half, you know? Except dad's sheriff jacket, he was so proud, we all were, when he finally made sheriff." Alice nodded after a long minute.

"That'll work. Makes sure the things we keep say our names." It took her another moment to decide again, what to do. "Let's move it out to the lawn. There are some unused boxes out there still. We'll put the donations in garbage bags."

Hopefully we were making the right decision. Esme shouldn't be clinging to the past, not when she had a whole a new future ahead of her. So she wouldn't be upset if his clothes were given to someone else in need. Alice and I were still upset that Charlie wasn't around, but… we knew he wasn't gone forever, especially because I could see the in between land, where some spirits get stuck. That meant there was a beyond, a heaven, so to speak.

Charlie was in a better place, somewhere with our mom. Renee died from childbirth complications. We have one picture of us together. Right after we were born, Renee was sweaty and her hair was matted to her head, but she looked beyond happy, she was beautiful. Dad was beside her looking down at the two little bundles in each of her arms. Alice had her features, and I was mostly Charlie. Although, occasionally people told me I looked like Esme, when they didn't know she wasn't our real mom. She never corrected them, and I loved her for it.

We were starting a new life; we weren't leaving this behind, but remembering and moving forward. That doesn't make sense unless you've lost someone who had been a part of your daily routine. Alice and I had all the boxes moved out into the front lawn in no time. I started folding boxes open.

"Do you think this is wrong?" Alice asked. "Throwing dad's stuff out?" I froze.

"I'm not sure." I told her, I was having a dilemma myself. Maybe this is why Esme couldn't do it either.

"You've never seen him?" Alice asked, hope and fear in her eyes. She wanted to talk to him, but didn't want him to be stuck on earth either. It was another internal debate I had with myself. I wouldn't be selfish. I wanted my dad to be 'upstairs' living it up.

"No, he isn't stuck in between." I told her, looking away and unfolding another box. "He wouldn't be angry about anything, Alice. If anything, he's sad that we haven't done this already. Ten years is a long time… We'll always remember him, but keeping his stuff doesn't mean we are keeping him. He's gone. This stuff isn't him." She knew all of this, but it was still so hard to say.

Alice had the white garbage bag ready, using the half sized white decoration fence to hold the bag open. I put the two boxes beside the open bag and opened up the first box. It was all old pants, Alice and I agreed to donate them, so dumped them into the bag.

"I'm going to call Esme and ask if it's alright." I told her, turning to go for the phone, thinking about the number to Carlisle's cell. If they were doing some activity, enjoying the weather or too busy with other married activities to answer right now.

"She'll say okay." I smiled as Alice told me what I wanted to hear. I turned back and continued the sorting. Alice smiled, glad that our unasked question would be answered the way we wanted it to be answered. We had two bags of clothes before we got to some things that we didn't want to pitch. The personal items were something we couldn't part with.

Dad's old pocket watch, it wasn't working, but I remembered him always cleaning the face of it. A few pictures of him with his parents, and some taped games. We saved his tackle box, fishing hat and pole, because that defined my dad. Besides, when we moved to Forks, what more would there be to do?

I spotted a colorful mason jar. I knew that jar! I pulled it out; it was painted in colorful hearts and curly strings. Alice and I had made this for him for father's day in kindergarten. He had kept it on his desk at work. I remembered when Esme, Alice and I would bring him lunch on slow days. Which were few and far between. He had put candy in it. He would sneak us each a piece when Esme would tell us not to spoil our lunch. It was empty now. I didn't want it to be empty.

"Ali?" I whispered, I thought I could handle this… I had been wrong.

"I have an idea." She told me, kneeling down beside me. I didn't remember plopping down on my knees. She spoke softly. "Why don't we visit dad's grave." That would be nice, leave him something before we are gone. My eyes started to water, not taking my eyes off of his old Father's Day present. "We can dig out Esme's gardening tools, and take a few hand full's of dirt from his grave. We can take him with us, in this jar." I nodded, Alice tugged the jar from my hand.

"He always kept chocolate in here. Esme would pretend not to notice when he gave us some." Alice told me, I hadn't known that. I thought Charlie was sneaky. I snorted, turning my tears into a laugh. My sister knew what she was doing with me. I loved her for it.

"I'd like that." I told her, meaning it. "You'll have to help me get through the grave yard." Ghosts loved to haunt their grave sites. I think mostly to see who was visiting them, and I tell you a lot of those ghosts were either angry or crying their eyes out. She promised she would.

"I love you Ali." I turned to face my sweaty, dusty sister. Pulling her into a hug, I knew her better than she knew herself, and she knew me the same way. We may be really different, but we cut from the same cloth, as Esme always says.

"I love you too, Belly." She said in all genuineness, putting her little arms around me too. We could get through this. No matter how mean Carlisle's daughter is, or how often we had to cover for one another when we couldn't help how we reacted. I could do anything as long as Alice was with me.

Together, we made one hell of a team.


	2. Chapter 2

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I claim nothing! All rights to Twilight go to Stephanie Meyer's. No copy right infringement is intended.

A/N: I shall be updating every Friday/Saturday from here on out (writers block permitting.) I'm really sorry about the gap because the first chapter and the time it took me to get back into MS. I haven't changed a whole lot, I just needed the story back, I needed to make it mine again so I could work. It won't happen again. Thanks to all the 'Ghosted' original Ficsters still around!  
Reviews are nice. So is my Beta, Synphilia.

There are more dead people than living. And their numbers are increasing.  
The living are getting rarer.  
-EUGENE IONESCO

Chapter Two: In Fifteen Minutes

"You've been sucking the life out of me since the PRENATAL STAGE!" Alice howled in mock-attempting-to-sound-real anger and astonishment. I rolled my eyes, folding my own clothes into my dresser. She could have the whole closet; there is no reason for this kind of guilt trip.

"We were both preemies, Alice. I just grew out of it." I could hear her scoff from here. I smiled to myself. It was day one in our new house, well, I would call it far bigger than a house, and we were already fighting up a storm. Which was the usual when it came to my clothes and Alice; it was nice that didn't change, although sometimes I wished it would. The only child of Carlisle's that helped us move all our boxes up here was Emmett. He was awkward to be around, but he was polite. He seemed to be surrounded with sorrow, but with the loss of his parents, I knew it took time to get back to normal. I knew from experience.

I was actually glad we didn't have to deal with Rosalie. We tried to unload some of the extra boxes and things in the garage until Meme decided what she would use and what she thought wouldn't go with Carlisle's décor. Although, I was fairly certain that it would all just go so Esme could have a 'clean canvas' as she always told us was the best way to decorate.

Well, anyways. Rosalie cursed up a storm. We had to call Carlisle to get her to calm down. In the end she informed us "If you mess up one thing in _my_ garage with your prissy little hands, I will rip off your nipples!" I was downright terrified, but Alice put both her hands on her boobs for protection and told Rosalie to suck it. I loved Alice for it, but right now, Alice was just getting on my nerves. That happened when I was surrounded with stress.

I'd like to say we were getting acquainted with our new 'family number two' but so far, no luck. We'd met Jasper at the wedding, but he hasn't shown his face yet. He was the silent type. Meme was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, making sure we were good, making sure Carlisle's children were alright, cooking and unpacking her own things.

Carlisle was called into work, which happened often, apparently. He swore he'd be back for dinner to help lay down the new ground rules, since, according to him, blending an already blended family would be twice as difficult.

I figured he was just talking to and about Rosalie.

"We wore matching outfits at the wedding!" Alice whined. I swear Alice just saw me as her oversized doll. She took this twin thing a bit too far sometime. Who was I kidding? She took it too far all the time! My wardrobe was a thorn in her side she tried daily to amend. Any occasion she could think of, she would try and get us to match or at least 'coordinate'.

"It was part of the ceremony. We were bridesmaids!" I more groaned than said to her. She knew that more than anyone, she was just trying to instigate and annoy me enough to give up fighting with her and agree. I did not want to go to our first family dinner matching. It would send the wrong impression. I already told Alice that, but she didn't care what they thought.

Or what I thought, apparently.

I closed the last dresser drawer, happy to be all moved in. Well, just our room. I knew Esme was more worried about everyone else and cooking dinner to be unpacking her own room. Plus she needed Carlisle with her so she knew what he was alright with giving up or sharing. Besides that, we had the rest of our decorations to add to their home. I mean _our_ home, I hope I get used to this soon.

This room was bigger than our old one. Our room now was split in our two sides; I took the side with the bathroom door, which I loved because I needed to sneak in before Alice did her hour long ritual every night and every morning. Alice got the side with the closet, which she loved for obvious reasons. Her bed was pressed against the wall, taking up most of her wall space; I thought it was better space management to just have the head of my bed against the wall. Beside the bed, closest to the door was my desk.

The mason jar Alice and I had decorated for our father was above my dresser that was between the bathroom door and the closet door. There were a few other decorations up there, along with some family pictures. I had an end table beside my bed with our only birth family picture right after we were born and our last family photo before Dad died, with a lamp and an alarm clock. My bookshelf was beside my desk, which was already organized. My journal was in the top drawer of my desk; don't tell anyone, that's kind of a secret. It was really a sketch diary, since I had a weird talent of drawing the ghosts I've seen. Alice can do the same with her visions. Funny thing was, if I tried to draw anything else, it was awful. Alice says it all comes with our gifts.

Other things were in my journal too, but not much. It was honestly just a collection of all the Ghosts I've seen and a few I helped move on. I sighed and moved to sit on my twin bed. I almost snorted; twin beds for the twins. We had matching purple comforters, and since it was Esme's idea for a uniform room, I didn't disagree.

Alice's side was in more disarray. She had her sewing machine table beside the closet, her fabrics spilling out from its drawers and cabinets. Her clothes were thrown across her bed with the purple blanket hanging off on the floor. There was a bookshelf on her side closest to the door to the hallway too, only hers had pictures and shoes, a few fashion magazines she couldn't live without… On the bottom were scrapbooks and her decorations and sticker box for those scrapbooks she loved to put together. That was my sister for you.

No books were allowed on her bookshelf.

"This is a 'meet your new family' kind of ceremony! Doesn't that count?" Alice wined; she was running out of things to use against me. I might actually win this fight. I snorted, laying down and spreading myself out. Maybe I could take a nap before we had this dreadful 'new rules' dinner. Maybe sleep through it? Yeah right, neither Alice nor Esme would ever let that happen.

"We've already met the family." I told her, watching my bedside table clock tick. It was an old school one, with two bells on either side of the round base. I had to set the two little hands in order for the clock to go off. I had to be careful that it didn't go off every twelve hours.

"Not as a family! We were still outsiders then, but now it's different!" Alice emerged from the closet holding up what she proclaimed to be what I was wearing to dinner. No exceptions. She draped the outfit over my butt when I didn't move to take it.

"I'm wearing what I already have on." I said tiredly, "No exceptions." I mocked slightly, curling my arms under my pillow. I could do this all day, because I've been doing this all my life. I liked my jeans and a t-shirt look. It was me, and Alice may hate it, but I don't force her to wear what I like. I smiled to myself. "If you want to match so badly, I have this same shirt a size smaller, second drawer down. You can match to me for once."

I wished I could have seen Alice's face for that one, but I didn't want to open my eyes. Moving for this whole last week was miserable. Every muscle in my body was sore and that spa only made things worse by pushing on everything. I tried to back out of… well everything, but Alice kept reminding me that she paid for this already with Carlisle's cash. If I didn't follow through, it would be even more of a waste of money…

"Normal sisters dress alike all the time Bella! Twins especially." She pulled the outfit off of me, her extra-twang-whiny voice keeping me from drifting off. I've heard this so many times. Normal twins do this so why can't we, twins this, twins that. Give it a rest already!

"We are not normal!" I sighed; I accepted that I was… this, a long time ago. Alice never seemed to fully grasp just how different we are. "Fraternal twins are just like normal siblings so that is barely a point."

"I'm going to document this moment! Can we at least match! You can straighten your own hair, and I won't bother you about makeup." Alice said, going for bartering instead of guilt. Both worked quite often with me, and Alice knew just how much to give to make it worth it.

Alice giggled, and I knew she already knew what I was going to say. I contemplated changing my mind but I couldn't. Alice liked scrapbooking, and I guess this is a rather big moment for us as a newly established family.

"No skirts, and nothing low cut!" I told her, my voice stern. "I don't want to hear a word about makeup, and I am not straightening my hair, and you let me take a nap." Alice let out a victory yes, and I peeled my eyes back to watch her do her little dance she always did when she got her way. I smiled; it was so easy to make Alice happy. It was another one of those things that I wish I could do, but always came up short.

I didn't like getting presents, because they cost so much. I didn't like getting too much attention because I feel like someone else should get the attention. I didn't ever ask for anything, because I felt like I should be able to do it all on my own. I didn't want a lot, and if I got too much, I felt awkward. I usually just kept to myself. That tends to happen when you aren't sure who is real and who might be a ghost.

Ghosts look like everyone else, they aren't white floating sheets, or look like transparent powdery clouds of dust in the shape of people. The only way I can tell for sure if a ghost is a ghost is if something passes through them or if they're floating. That rarely happens, usually it's someone normal looking who walks up and asks for something, or have a normal, everyday conversation with you. Another thing, they don't make noise when they walk, but I know some pretty quiet walkers.

I snoozed for what felt like three minutes when Esme came in. I heard the door click and I scanned the room. Alice's clothes were put away and she was hanging an outfit on my dresser doors, I must have slept for longer than a couple minutes. Esme was wringing her hands, something she always did when she was nervous. I rubbed my eyes and flipped my legs over the edge of the bed coming into a sitting position.

"Everything alright, Meme?" Alice asked taking a step toward her. Meme took in the room, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her eyes still torn and her forehead tense. I knew Esme almost as well as I knew Alice.

"I'll have Carlisle hang up some of those pictures you have wrapped in the hall. Where is that rug I got you two last year?" I looked over at Alice, oh man. This must be something pretty awkward or upsetting if she went straight into how our room could be improved. It was her internal home decorator, but that was how she avoided the subject best.

"Spill it." I told her, rubbing my eyes to force myself to wake all the way up. Alice came over and sat on my bed, she didn't weigh much so the bed only indented slightly. Alice patted the space between us for Meme to squeeze in. She did.

"I was wondering…" Esme started, then looked at my bookshelf, studying it. She looked down at her hands. Alice and I were used to waiting for the awkward things Esme wanted to talk about. We had to sit and eat ice-cream for an hour before she even brought the topic of sex up last year. She was almost like Charlie in that regard. Esme was better at all the other topics; it was just sex that she had a hard time talking to us about… and I guess whatever else she was going to tell us. It couldn't be sex, right?

Now I wished I wouldn't have told Alice to let me take that nap. She probably knew what Esme was going to bring up, and would have given me a heads up. Meme took my hand in hers, and Alice's in her other one.

"I won't be mad." Meme told us, I tensed, looking over at Alice. She didn't look worried. "But when I was looking through all our things…" Oh. This was about Dad's things that were in the attic. I smiled up at Esme, encouraging her to go on. This wasn't so awkward, but I guess for her, she was in her new husband's house, worrying about her old husbands things. "I couldn't find anything of your fathers."

"We were going to call you." I told her, taking the first step to explain.

"But I had seen what you were going to say," Alice continued for me.

"And we didn't want to bother you or Carlisle." I went farther to describe what happened.

"So we donated the clothes." Alice said softly.

"But we kept most of his things." I finished, me and Alice often trade off in conversations like this. It included both of us in the explanation, and she had to be angry at both of us, or be happy with both of us, because we were both involved.

Esme sighed, squeezing my hand, and I'm sure Alice's too, in relief. This reminded me of our last discussion in this exact position. Meme wouldn't agree to marry Carlisle unless we also agreed. Carlisle was very patient about the whole process. Alice and I agreed right away, but Esme really wanted us to think about it. Not to agree because she loved Carlisle, but because we loved him too. She wanted us to be happy above all else.

It took her a month and Alice and I giving her four full pages of reasons for her to accept his proposal to actually believe us. It was probably my fault that it took her so long, since I was the one that was always conscious of others and their wants. I had to really show her that I wanted this too, and wasn't just trying to make her happy.

"Where is… everything?" Meme asked, guilt laced in her voice. I met Alice's eyes again, and she nodded at me. Not for me to get the boxes, but to tackle this guilt head on. Esme shouldn't be feeling so upset about this. Her late husband was a part of her life still, and Carlisle would respect it if she wanted something of his.

"Meme," I whispered, bringing her attention back to me. "You shouldn't be upset about wanting something of Charlie's." I turned to face her side and folded my legs Indian style.

"We have some things too. Belly and I even collected some dirt from his grave, and put it in his old father's day present." She pointed at the Jar above my dresser. Esme looked at it for a long while, maybe a full five minutes before she turned back with a shy little smile on her lips and then it vanished just as quickly as her smile appeared.

"I feel like I left him behind." Esme told us, "I don't want you guys to feel like that too." I smiled, seeing Alice in my peripheral vision doing the same.

"He's always with us, Meme. Every time I trip and manage not to fall, that's my dad holding me up." I told her, watching her eyes fill with unshed tears.

"Whenever my hair gets messed up, I don't mind… Because I know it was my dad, just like he used to do." I smiled at my sister as Esme turned her sorrowful look toward her. Alice hated when he ruffled her hair, and I had noticed whenever it was blown around or caught anything. She would just smile, and calmly fix it. I should have figured that one out on my own, although she couldn't have known about my way of remembrance either.

"When I have these kinds of moments with you girls, I thank him." She turned to look at me too, gripping my hand harder. "He isn't around, but he gave me and trusted me with his two most precious possessions. I was so afraid I'd lose you both too, but Charlie had taken care of everything." My eyes filled too, my face heated and I turned to look at the carpet as my tears started to shed.

"Carlisle is the love of my life now, but I want the two of you to know that you are my first priority. I'm a mother before all else." I nodded at my knee, as Esme continued her emotional speech. "I don't want either of you to feel like I'm betraying your father, because he is always in my heart. Right next to the two of you; Carlisle just moved in." I squeezed her hand back, bringing my thumb across her knuckles.

"Carlisle's has moved into my heart too." Alice said, taking her turn first.

"Maybe not right next to dad, but pretty close." I told her, lifting my eyes to look at Meme and she was crying too. Oh man, where was the ice cream when you needed it? She pulled her hand away and engulfed the both of us in a hug. I was pulled forward, and I barely missed Alice's head as we all came together. I wrapped my arms around my sister and my mother.

"Dinner is in thirty minutes." Meme informed us, disentangling from our embrace. I sat back and she stood, wiping her eyes as Alice and I did the same. She turned after taking two steps and held out her pinky to us. I took a deep calming breath, reaching the tip of my pinky to touch hers; Alice's joining ours a second later.

"Three musketeers, always." Meme said, and we pulled apart, a smile on all our faces. I think we all needed that, especially since everything was moving so fast after their honeymoon. Carlisle wasn't new to this equation, he was Esme's long time boyfriend and we were close. Esme left, turning in the doorway to give us one last smile. When the door was closed, Alice stood and went for the outfit she had hanging on the knob of my dresser.

"Thirty minutes until dinner!" Alice chimed but her voice hadn't fully recovered from the short cry fest we just had. It took me a moment to realize that Esme hadn't asked for any of Charlie's things. She draped the clothes across my bed.

"Did… Esme forget about Charlie's stuff?" I looked at Alice's face and she shook her head no.

"Esme was keeping it for us, I think she thought we were too young before to divide it up. She has a few items of his already. Plus, she kept our last family photo together. It's going to be placed on her bedside table, and Carlisle will smile." She zoned for a moment, coming back with a smile on her face. "No matter what Rosalie says to us at dinner tonight, just smile sweetly. It will drive her insane."

I adjusted to the subject change and laughed. Oh, this was going to be some dinner, I just knew it. I reached for my clothes, glad that it was light brown pants and a sweater set with a blue shirt underneath. It wasn't too fancy, but it was still nice. I looked over and Alice was in a skirt of the same light color with a cropped vest and the same blue shirt underneath. Now this could work. We matched really well, but were not in the same outfit.

I changed; Alice is my sister, so we change in front of one another. I snickered again as I pulled my pants up, if not anything else, this new family was going to be fun to play with. We walked down together ten minutes later. It seemed reasonable to be there a couple minutes early. Plus, maybe Carlisle was back, and we could talk to him.

Did I mention Carlisle's… no, _our_ house was huge? We are on the second floor with all the other kid's bedrooms. There was a loft with a railing and you could see down into the living room. There were a few bean bags there, but once Esme was through, it would be fashionable. On the third floor was Esme and Carlisle's room. We hadn't been up there yet, but Esme told me there was a library next to Carlisle's study. I was excited to explore that.

The main floor held the biggest kitchen known to woman, and an equally big dining room. Carlisle came from old money, and being a doctor only helped matters. They have a sitting room for werewolves' sake! Who has a sitting room and a living room?

Well, I guess I do now.

There were plants and vases littered around every now and again, but that was a man's kind of decorating. Maybe Esme had rubbed off on me, but I knew that would be changed. I liked all the family pictures though. Since we arrived the house has been so quiet it's been making me uncomfortable. The pictures showed this house wasn't as silent and ghost like as it is now and by ghost like, I mean empty, not filled with ghosts.

Knock on wood.

The stairs led to the living room. There was a flat screen, some game systems below it, some chairs and a couch that matched. The end tables were glass, which I liked with the matching lamps. The rug went under the couch, and gave the impression that this was the entrance way, since the front door was right there.

We followed the cute path, and pushed the western saloon style double doors into the kitchen. It was far messier than the last time we had been in here. Esme had really gone all out. There were a few of the important-company-only serving dishes full on the counter. There was mashed potatoes, a turkey, green bean casserole, fruit salad, diced sweet potatoes with brown sugar, and broccoli. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was thanksgiving. This wouldn't be happening every day, right?

Esme came in from the dining room to our left. She wiped her forehead and headed for the other dishes lined up; she spotted us after a couple steps.

"Oh good! Dears, would you mind helping me set the table?" She looked so much better than when she had appeared in our room nervous and guilty. I did what she asked, walking toward the dishes, and picking up the diced sweet potatoes. Alice grabbed the plates and the silverware, and we followed Esme into the dining room.

The front door opened, Carlisle was home just in time! I went back for another dish when a blonde boy stepped into the kitchen. He was dusty, and in a baseball uniform. He had the standard stripped knee socks and the white Capri's, paired with a stripped 'Forks High' button up jersey.

"Is Esme here?" He asked me, and I didn't have to answer as she came in from the dining room followed by Alice. He smiled, and I recognized him as Jasper. Give me a break, I've only met him once and he was all dressed up with slicked over hair for his father's wedding. Yes, it is a bit weird I'd only met my step-brother once before now. Alice and I have seen pictures and all, but Esme has been skirting the 'Carlisle's family' issues and questions for some time now. I guess it had been to spare us from Rosalie's wrath, and sending them to Phoenix or us to Forks wouldn't have worked for her preppy ass (I'm making an educated guess, not assuming). I might have done the same thing, if I had been in Carlisle's shoes and had a daughter like Rosalie.

"Sorry I couldn't help out. I had practice, and it ran later than I expected. I'm going to clean up, and then I'm all yours to move what you want."

Esme smiled, and I caught Alice's eye. I guess he hadn't been home, Emmett had helped most of the morning, but Meme didn't utilize him so much once our stuff was all inside. Rosalie was hiding somewhere. Hmm, so it was just Rosalie that hated us. That was better than I expected.

"Don't you worry, dear! Get cleaned up for dinner, Carlisle will be home soon." She smiled sweetly, and I saw some tension leak out of her gaze. Had Meme thought his sister, Rosalie, had turned him to the dark side? Oh, no wonder she had been worried!

Jasper nodded, and gave me and Alice a smile, since Alice had moved to stand next to me. Once it was just the three of us in the kitchen again, Alice and I appraised one another. We had a 'twin's only' conversation, as Meme called them. Alice smiled sweetly, and whispered "Remember what I told you to do at dinner." I laughed but cut it short, and finished setting the table, just us musketeers. It was nice falling into a sort-of routine.

Carlisle arrived just as Esme huffed with impatience. I shifted closer to my sister, our shoulders touching. Esme walked out to greet him. My nerves were building because tonight's dinner is all about the elephants in the room. They would be discussed and all the new rules and protocols would be established. We were combining a family, not an easy task when it came to a house full of teens.

Alice and I took our seats; we faced the kitchen door and waited, just as Carlisle's voice boomed in the living room, telling his children to come down for dinner. Alice play kicked me under the table, and I assessed myself. My posture was fine; I hadn't touched my plate settings, oh! I was biting my lips. I corrected myself, and gave Alice a 'go shove it' glare. Her tiny pink tongue taunted me, how juvenile! We had a stare down match before we both burst out laughing.

A moment after the call for dinner, Emmett's burly frame filled the door. One of the half sized saloon doors was pushed too far and it protested on the wooden frame and swung back almost as fast as it had been pushed, Emmett was out of the way by then, so it swung into the kitchen and then back.

Emmett took a seat beside Alice, giving us each the classic-guy-nod as our greeting. Emmett's eyes were tight, the red rimes standing out just as he turned away, staring at one of the empty chairs opposite of me. Maybe he was just zoning out, or something had irritated his eyes, or maybe he is a smoker? I nudged Alice, and she shrugged her shoulders. We both knew he had been crying, should we say something? Would it make it worse if we acknowledge that we knew he had been crying? Guys are weird about that kind of thing, but ignoring that seemed rude, especially since we were family and all that shit now. I suppressed a groan. This was going to be far worse than I'd hoped.

We were all seated, and after having the awkward 'can we eat first?' silent pause, it didn't go so bad. After the novelty of the moment wore off though, the tension started to build. Jasper was across from Alice, Rosalie beside him. Jasper kept giving sideway glances at Rosalie, trying to do their Twin talk, but she would have none of that. Meme was at my left at the head of this side of the table, and Carlisle at the other. I ignored the tension, but something else was off. It almost felt like… something is missing. I looked at the empty chair in front of me, my thought lost as Carlisle began to talk when everyone had their plates full.

"Before we lay down the ground rules, well not rules, more like guidelines..." He began, "Esme and I agreed that we should hear each of you out first. Having a step-parent is… difficult, and Esme and I want to know the do's and don'ts now, this way, we may save ourselves a lot of trouble." I nodded to my fork. The table was silent; I peaked up out of the corner of my eyes. Rosalie acted like she hadn't heard, Jasper was nudging her with his elbow, Emmett, who I could see over Alice's head, was staring at his plate. Alice sported a smile, and she raised her hand like Carlisle was the teacher and she had the right answer to his question.

Carlisle laughed, "Yes, Alice." She was up to no good.

"Can we be added to your cell phone plan?" I groaned, Alice knew the answer judging by her all-teeth grin. Cheshire cat, much? I watched Carlisle smile, and give a pleasant, accepting chuckle.

"Yes, but that wasn't exactly my question." Oh, well, Dr. Cullen sucked at reading between the lines I see. With Alice, she says a whole lot with just a little. She may want a cell phone of her own, but the real question was whether or not Alice and I would be treated the same as his children. Not only financially, either. I watched Esme out of the corner of my eye raise her hand slightly. I stopped her before it got far, putting my own over hers and squeezing.

"With adding Meme, Bella and I to your phone plan, we will have open communication to one another, yes. But the real question was whether or not we would be treated the same as your own children. If you would have paused, looked at Esme or said no, it would have been a blatant 'you are less than' answer. With your casual acceptance of us being added to your phone plan, means far more than just three extra numbers and unlimited texting. It means you have already accepted us into your family." Oh, sly Alice. We'd have a cell each by tomorrow with all the fun additional features with that little rant. Adding the unlimited texting at the end took away from the message, but I still smiled at my food and released Esme's hand. It was all true, regardless.

"Of course," Carlisle started, slightly taken aback, "I've accepted you since the moment you included me in your family Christmas card photo last year. I love you girls, and I don't expect you to return the feelings, or say them if you don't want too. I'm not here to replace your father. I just hope I can fit somewhere in your hearts as well." I widened my eyes before the tears fell. Alice gave me a tap with the tip of her toe, and that was all I needed. We both pushed are chairs back, walked a semi-circle around the table and embraced a slightly alarmed Carlisle from both sides.

"We love you too, Carlisle." Alice and I said together, Esme choke-laughed from across the room. Alice and I just thought it was funny. Although, admittedly a bit sappy.

"Oh god, is this how it's always going to be now? I'll turn on lifetime if I wanted a sob-soap." Rosalie sneered pushing her food away like she lost her appetite with our little display. When I caught Rosalie's glaring eye, I smiled sweetly at her. I went back to my seat, Alice right behind me. "Rosalie." Carlisle warned, harsh but under his breath. She dropped her scowl, but her shoulders were still set in an aggressive show. I gave Alice a thumbs-up between us, she returned it.

"Do we have to call you Meme?" Rosalie asked, her voice was sweet, but the venom laced in her every syllable showed through. I had to grip Alice's arm when she flinched in her direction. It was one thing to make fun of Alice and me together, but if you turn to Esme… Game on! Alice will beat you down; I've seen her take on full grown men in Esme's defense. My grip told her clearly 'not now.'

"Of course not, Esme is fine." Meme told Rosalie, and when Alice heard the softness in Esme's voice without the slightly tinge of hurt feelings, Alice relaxed, and I did too. "Carlisle is just fine for you girls too. No one has to have a label."

"Will you always be cooking? Because frankly, Carlisle is awful at it, and pizza three times a week gets old." Emmett asked, and there was a hint of, I think humor in his voice. Was he teasing Carlisle, while complimenting Esme? I gave a half grin. He was a good balance to Rosalie; his casual acceptance was rather refreshing.

"Not always, but I do rather enjoy it. If you'd like to help, you are more than welcome. I like company, which goes for all of you." I loved Meme, she was so sweet. It made my heart grow every time I got a glimpse of just how big her heart really is.

Jasper asked something, but I could see legs in the kitchen, under the base of the western swinging kitchen door. Whoever it was had dark colored jeans and their tennis shoes were dusty. Had one of Jaspers friends followed him from practice? Baseball diamonds had dust, right? I elbowed Alice slightly, but she brushed me off, giving me a small glare to pay attention to the table talk.

The legs were definitely male, and as they came toward the door I scanned the people around me. Still animated, Carlisle talking about our driving arrangements when school started, and Rosalie outright refusing to let us in her precious Ferrari, whatever that was.

I turned back to the guy; he ducked under the door, stealthily. He had blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail at the base of his neck, a few stray hairs springing out around his ears. His mouth was parted, and I got a glimpse of straight white teeth. He had a dark jean jacket to go with his pants and I could imagine Alice's distaste. He had a white wife beater on underneath. His narrow eyes scanned the room, almost like he was assessing some kind of threat. His narrowed eyes landed on me, and a wicked evil grin changed his face completely. I would have said he was good looking, but as soon as his expression turned, fear jumped to my throat.

Shit.

I elbowed Alice again. Why wasn't she- oh, he was a ghost. She would have noticed him, Alice misses nothing, especially something dressed like that. I let out a small relieved breath. Ghosts can't touch things, so therefore, they can't hurt you. The one good thing about ghosts, they can torment you and scream and keep you awake, but they couldn't cause physical pain. Well, none have been able to so far.

"You can see me." The angry boy asked, his head tilting to one side, and his eyebrow raising. His demeanor screamed predator, but I knew better than to be afraid. Showing fear did nothing but encourage the damned. I nodded slowly, making sure he would get the message without alerting any of the others. Alice picked up on it immediately, her hand going to my thigh. His angry expression faded, but the evil glint in his eyes stayed as he paced, taking a few steps toward Esme, and then back stepping toward Carlisle. His mouth still curved upward.

"Earth to Isabella!" Rosalie sneered, "She psychotic!" I pulled my eyes away from the blonde angry ghost, released from his hold, thankfully, and turned toward my pleasant new sister. "I said-" she started but the angry ghost lunged for me. He had seized his opportunity of my distraction and used it to his advantage. I skidded my chair backward, trying to stay out of his reach as another male ghosts lunged from behind me from my left. I shied away automatically slipping off the side of my chair. The ghosts smashed into each other, a shock of bronze hair caught my eye and they vanished together before they could hit the table. I on the other hand, landed hard behind my sister, my right hip and elbow cracking on the hard floor.

"Bella!" Esme cried out, as my sister slipped out of her seat. Alice had me standing before Esme could reach us. "Are you alright?" Meme had both her hands around my head before pulling back and reaching for my elbow.

"I'm fine," I started as Alice took the reins. Rosalie looked shocked, maybe even a bit scared to come near me, Jasper looked concerned, his expression almost a mirror image of Carlisle's. Were they for sure a hundred percent, not related? Because they sure looked alike now. Emmett was leaning over the back of his chair, his arm dangling over, his face worried.

"I shouldn't have kicked you so hard. I'm sorry, you were just zoning out, and Rosalie was getting angry. I know how clumsy you are, it just slipped my mind. Let me help you to our room as an apology, maybe Carlisle can look at your elbow later?" Alice redirected the attention, and pulled her arm around my waist forcing my still-stinging elbow to bend around her neck and drape over her shoulders. She was short enough that we fit just right together. We passed Esme and her furrowed eyebrows in a rush as Carlisle agreed; I was through the kitchen in a flash.

"Thanks Carlisle!" Alice called out behind us. "We'll have to continue this conversation later!" Her voice was pleasant and apologetic. I was glad to get out of that room. Of course they all thought I was crazy. What a wonderful first family event. I was fine, so when we reached the stairs, I detangled myself from Alice, but took to holding her hand on the way up.

"Its better they know we're different now, anyways." Alice chimed, giving me her joyous-but-still-nervous looking-on-the-bright-side smile. I ruined everything. I groaned, I could not see the bright side of showing your already apprehensive new family just how crazy you are!

"There goes any chance we may have had with Rosalie liking us." I said, closing our bedroom door behind us. "Thanks, by the way. It would have sucked going through that alone." She just smiled, hugging me with her free arm. Did I mention I loved my sister? I groaned.

I ruined everything in fifteen minutes, go Bella!


	3. Chapter 3

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I claim nothing; all credit for twilight goes to Stephanie Meyers. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Look at that! The second it's Friday my chapter is up! Woot woot! My Beta is great- Synphilia.

"Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours."  
-YOGI BERRAY

Chapter Three: Coffee for four, if you count the departed

Sleep avoided me, and I was haunted by my own mind. My actions replaying in my head so often the memory morphed into a twisted nightmare, my new family laughing at me. The angry ghost actually getting a hold of me, or the ghost that had lunged from behind me, holds me down, actually touching me. I wouldn't sleep tonight, no way, no how. Especially after my second nightmare in a row, so I shook it off. I was used to spirits keeping me awake some way or another.

Esme had come up to check on us. She had given me about ten minutes to calm down before her soft tentative knock sounded through our room. Alice and I already agreed not to scare Esme too much. She should know there is a ghost in this house, but that he hadn't lunged. A scary ghost I could handle, but a worried and constantly watching Esme, I couldn't. I don't even know why I reacted, he couldn't actually hurt me! He would have just passed right through, its happened to me before. It was just uncomfortable and a bit shocking. I could have handled that, but no, I had to freak the hell out just because he looked evil.

So, I told her that a ghost phased through a wall to my left and since I wasn't expecting it, I reacted. Her internal psychologist came out, asking if I wrote it down. She was a firm believer that a journal was a personal remedy to any problems, a place for secrets and explored emotions. So I told her I would, and she changed the subject to acclaim the success of dinner. I groaned thinking 'what success?' Alice gets her cell phone, sure, but everyone thinks we're crazy since Alice played along, and Rose still hates us!

So much for escaping our previous reputation!

I pulled my journal out after crawling out of bed, opening the top drawer of my desk slowly so the noise wouldn't disturb Alice. After I selected a pencil from the cup on my desk, I made my way to our door. Alice is a light sleeper, and she hated when I woke her up since she dreamed the future clearer than her visions while awake. Her journal is filled with dream scenes and lists of how to change things if she wanted too. She loved dabbling with the future.

Oh, my sister can't see ghosts. Well, I mean obviously not, no normal person can, except me. What I mean is in her visions, ghosts don't show up. It puts a small dent in her accuracy when it comes to me, and she hates when things take her by surprise.

I left the door cracked so the click wouldn't wake her and found the stairs. I went up, intent on finding the library. I knew which door was Esme and Carlisle's room, so that left two doors to choose from. When I was half way there, I vowed my own house would have an elevator, or at the very least, escalators. There were too many stairs. Can you imagine Esme coming up to her room from the laundry room in the basement, that's three flights of stairs! I groaned softly, aware that people where sleeping in this house, mansion, whatever.

I mean, personal library implies mansion, right?

Stupid rich doctor marrying my step mother, I grumbled. I reached the top of the stairs a little breathless, I admit. I looked at Carlisle and Esme's door for a second before scanning the hall. My eyes were already adjusted, but I needed to keep an eye out in case that angry blonde showed up. I mean the ghost, not my wicked step sister, although I'm not sure which I would prefer.

I twisted the golden handle and pushed door number one open. There were some shelves, a massive desk, a fireplace, but what really caught my eye was the wall sized painting. Carlisle was in it. I stepped forward, leaving the door ajar studying the faces. Carlisle was smiling pleasantly, he was in dress clothes, and his friends matched him, with their black tuxes and ties. There were eight men total, all standing around on a balcony, a party going on below. The thing that captured you though, was they all looked like they were enjoying an inside joke, the painter captured their mirth in that moment, while still making each man look regal and sophisticated.

The Carlisle I knew, the carefree always looking out for others Carlisle, barely reflected in this young dashing man, this must have been in his wild college days. I tore my eyes away from Carlisle and looked at the others around him. They all seemed to center around the long dark haired male; his fingers were long and curled around the balcony rail.

A chill ran up my spine, it was warm in here so I knew it meant I wasn't alone anymore. I stayed still waiting for whoever it was to make their presence known. I didn't want a repeat of my freak-out session so I chanted, 'please don't be the angry blonde, please don't be the angry ghost,' inside my head. I relaxed minutely, it wasn't him, and I let out a soft sigh. This ghost was male, but his tallness set him apart from the other ghost, his shoulder reaching to about my ear as he came to a stop beside me. I didn't move, but studied him the best I could through my peripheral vision.

His face was calm, maybe even showing signs of contentment and I was just glad it wasn't the blonde. Of course the manor Carlisle chose to live in had to be haunted by a bunch of male ghosts. He turned to look at me, and I didn't move, just noticed his piercing green eyes. He was beautiful, narrow nose, firm jaw and angled cheek bones. But his best features were his eyes.

I wasn't afraid, and that was the only indication that I needed to know he didn't mean me harm. It was an internal alarm when it came to ghosts, and it hasn't failed me yet. The guy turned to look at the painting again. I chanced a quick glance before turning my attention back to the picture myself.

"Who are they?" I whispered, trying to start a conversation with a dead, but still attractive guy. I almost snorted at myself. His head whipped in my direction, then took a step back. I actually looked at him then. Meeting his eyes, and he put his palms out, backing away. Was he afraid of me? I turned around to look behind me, no angry lunging ghost. What was his problem then? I wasn't going to do anything; I _couldn't_ do anything to him.

"You _can_ see me!" It wasn't a question, it was an affirmation. Like someone on the other side told him that but he came to investigate it himself and until now, didn't believe them. I tilted my head, smiled and nodded. He put his arms down and tried to control his expression. I've never met a ghost who didn't want to be seen. Usually they jump at the chance to be recognized and spoken to like a real person. Especially if they've only had the other lost and departed souls as company. He stepped backward into the rectangle of light the moon illuminated through Carlisle's office window. The view in front of me reminded me of a bad horror film, a ghost standing in the moonlit, curtains billowing behind him. I noticed his hair, it was bronze. I recognized him, where did I know him from? Oh! He was the ghost that stopped the other ghost from reaching me at dinner!

"You tackled that angry ghost at dinner." I wasn't sure why I said it out loud, it wasn't a question, but regardless, this ghost nodded, his face relaxing a bit more. Esme always told me when a person gets shocking news; you have to let them absorb it at their own pace. So I waited for him to come to terms with me being able to see him. It wasn't normal for people to do extra things (like see the future and the dead), and although this was obvious proof that I indeed was different, anyone would go through denial before they found acceptance.

"How… bizarre." He said to himself, his face tense and I couldn't believe it! He hurt my feelings. This was unlike any other ghost reaction I'd ever had, hell, I might prefer to be lunged at then called names! I wasn't bizarre, yeah okay it was weird but don't tell me that! It was one thing to be exiled from the living, but never, has one of the dead judged me or called me a name when I was being nice! I straightened my shoulders and glared.

"Excuse me?" My hands found themselves placed on my hips and my elbows jutting out a silent show of defiance. Alice would be proud. He froze for a second before he straightened himself up and went into the defensive.

"No!" he said, his palms coming up to face me again, a whole new meaning now. Instead of 'stay away' they now said 'don't be mad'. "You're not bizarre… well, I mean, it's just odd that there are more… oh god." I almost snorted, as one of his hands pushed his hair back. I turned to leave, I took two steps before his stopped me.

"I'm sorry." He said, and I was torn between getting away from ghosts for the rest of the night and hopefully the rest of my life, or staying and hearing him out. I studied him, he looked sorry. I dropped my stance and nodded. I wasn't one to hold a grudge, and I was a little braver when it came to people who couldn't touch me. If a living person would have said that, I would have taken it and kept walking and probably cried myself to sleep that night in secret.

A few moments passed between us, both of us studying the other. Why was this ghost here? Not that I wanted him to go, quite the opposite. He had stopped the evil ghost who seemed to be here too, but usually ghosts stayed where they had a connection. Carlisle had this manor built, there had to be a reason this spirit was wandering.

"Let's just start over?" He asked, an apology and an offer of friendship all in one question, he started walking toward me after I agreed. "I'm Edward." He held his hand out in a hand shake greeting, and I had to laugh. I would pass right through him, he was the ghost! How could he forget that? "Oh yeah." He mumbled, his hand combing through his hair again. It is an adorable habit.

"I'm Bella." I told him, humor still lacing my tone, and I was rewarded with a half smile. It was crooked, and some of his white straight teeth shown through his lips. I bit my own in response, suddenly nervous I would say something dumb, which was my usual response when I had to talk to a cute boy. I reminded myself nothing actually humiliating could happen with Edward since no one but the two of us would know about it.

"So, you come here often?" Edward asked, breaking out in a full smile at his own joke. I rolled my eyes at him. Some of the tension that had been building, diminishing, and I gave him a smile, grateful he broke the ice, so to speak.

"I live here." I told him, and alarm showed clearly on his face. What did I say? I somehow messed it up already? How? I reviewed our short conversation, and I couldn't find anything wrong.

"Were you collected?" Edward's voice dropped low, thick with apprehension and appalled shock. What? Collected by whom? He must have seen my confusion. "Did Carlisle find you?" I still didn't quite understand what he was talking about.

"My mother married Carlisle two weeks ago." I told him skipping over 'step' and just going with mother, "We moved in fully today after their honeymoon." Well, yesterday, since it was early in the a.m., but whatever. I studied him as he relaxed. "What are you talking about?" and how did he know Carlisle, but I'd save that for later.

"Nothing," He mumbled turning back to the painting I'd pretty much forgotten about at that point. "You want to know who they are, right?" He asked, trying to distract me. I allowed it for the time being, but I'd ask again once he appeased this small curiosity. I eyed Edward but faced the painting again, waiting for him to start.

"These are his society brothers. They all attended Volterra, that's a university in Italy." He said, and I wasn't sure yet if I believed him since I didn't know his relation to Carlisle yet. Maybe one of his patients he couldn't save? I had heard of the college before, maybe from Carlisle? "Aro, the one in the middle, he was the president of their organization." He pointed to the long haired man everyone was orbiting around. "Marcus and Caius were his closest followers. He was a fanatic, but Carlisle swears his intentions were pure, and his ideas were wonderful in the beginning. They are doctors now, all of them." I scanned the painting, looking over the people he elaborated on.

"What about them?" I asked, pointing to the remaining four he didn't mention. His shoulders relaxed, some of his tension escaping. He probably thought I took the bait and forgot about our early 'collection' conversation. Well, no such luck. I just wanted all the information he had to offer, and if his suspicion is correct I needed to know about Carlisle, why not start here?

"I don't know those two." He said, pointing to the bulky man and the brown hair man gripping his shoulder, but those two," I focused on the other two. One, actually resembled Edward, the eyes and hair were different but I could see the similarity in the facial structure. "That's my father, Edward" I snuck a glance at him, and his face was pinched in agony, "and that," he didn't have to motion since there was only one he hadn't mentioned before "is Jasper and Rosalie's deceased father, Peter." Both were flanking Carlisle, Peter leaning against the brick behind him and Edward Sr. was standing between Marcus and Carlisle, both hands in his front pants pockets.

They weren't related, or he would have said something so I didn't push. He already looked like he was going to hurl. Was he upset he wasn't a part of his father's life anymore? Wouldn't he haunt him instead of Carlisle then? I waited, giving him his space as I studied the two painted men with a whole new perspective. So Peter, Rose and Jasper's father really had been Carlisle's life-long friend. That was how Edward knew Carlisle too.

"Carlisle took in Rose and Jasper," I told him, and he nodded. "He loves them." I felt like I needed to defend Carlisle, especially since he seemed to have an issue with me being "collected", or whatever that means. I'd spent some late nights talking to Carlisle about a lot of things, and one thing I knew Carlisle could never do was force something on someone. He is patient and compassionate, but above that, he is damn understanding with just about everything.

"Carlisle is a good man." He told me, I nodded making sure I sent a clear message that Carlisle wasn't to be spoken of negatively around me. With Edward's admission, I would say he was getting the message.

"He wouldn't collect anyone." I grinned, as his eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. "Tell me what you meant by that." It was an order, and again, if he would have been alive, I wouldn't have been so bold. Edward sighed, pushing his hair back before submitting and giving me what I wanted.

"Those three," he pointed to the men he identified before as Aro, Marcus and Caius, "They collect the gifted." I waited, and looked at the painting again as if it would give me some clue into the interworking of their minds. Or some proof that this crazy ghost was just pulling my leg, this crazy but really good looking ghost. "I was afraid that Carlisle had been influenced to start collecting himself. I shouldn't have doubted him; he is the best man I know. It was a logical conclusion… the gifted _are_ rare." I stared open mouthed at him, attractive I know.

"There are others?" I asked, amazed. I always thought that Alice and I were the only ones. After years and years of finding nothing to prove us otherwise, it seemed reasonable. At first, Alice and I struggled with it, but once we came to terms, at slightly different times, it was nice thinking that Alice and I had something no one else could ever have. Although I felt like I lost that, it was nice to know that we weren't as alone as we thought we were. Edward nodded slowly, concentrating on me for a long moment. His eyes narrowed, and then widened before he turned away, upset.

"What is it now?" I asked. Edward was complicated to figure out. I wasn't sure what his facial expressions meant, and that last one kind of looked like puzzlement. Why would he be puzzled? I suppressed a groan.

"Nothing," His tone was a bit too sharp, and I didn't believe him. I turned away and rehashed what he said, wanting to get this right.

"So Carlisle and all these men became doctors, and I'm guessing somehow specialized in the 'supernatural' or the 'gifted', as you say." He eyed me out of the corner of his eyes before nodding. "So there are more gifted people out there, than we know, but Carlisle doesn't collect anyone?" another slow nod, "Carlisle is a normal doctor, he just has a certain curiosity for... extra senses." I told him, again defending Carlisle, and even though I wasn't asking anymore, he nodded. "You realize how ridiculous that sounds?" I knew what it sounded like, but it made sense.

No wonder he had gone to that conference where he met Meme! I'd seen Carlisle for who he is, and he wouldn't collect anyone, especially against their will. I mean, you ask the guy for secret wedding present moving money while your mother goes on her honeymoon and he leaves enough for an airport day spa and we still had a couple hundred left over. He didn't even ask us to return the money, although I made Alice give the rest back.

Edward may know Carlisle, but he didn't _know_ Carlisle.

"Yeah, that is a good way to put it." He still looked apprehensive, even when he agreed with me.

"He doesn't know." I told him, making sure not to break eye contact. "My mother never told him, and he's never once asked me about it. If he knew, especially with his unique interest, he would have mentioned something." I wouldn't say a word about my sister, her secret was hers to tell, and I still didn't trust this ghost. He let out a whoosh of air, could the dead hold their breath? He looked worlds better; he had been really worried about this.

"Oh thank god," He muttered under his breath. "I know Carlisle, but when this kind of temptation is placed in front of him, I had to wonder." He gave me a smile. "Carlisle is my uncle. My dad married his sister, much to his dismay," He laughed a full hearty laugh. "Of course, that's why I reacted the way I did. The Carlisle I know and love wouldn't ever collect anyone." I absorbed the new information… Carlisle was his uncle, as in, Emmett's brother? Oh god. I didn't know Emmett had a brother, or that he died too. Foreign emotions that I knew weren't mine bubbled in my chest. This has never happened to me before.

"You're…" I didn't know what to say... my concern and grief expanded a hundred times over for my new step brother. "Emmett." I squeaked out his name, thinking of everything he had to go through. What I voiced made no sense, 'you're Emmett'! I opened my mouth but didn't know what to say. Had he died in that fire with his parents? Was he actually haunting his brother? I tried to put myself in Emmett's shoes: if I ever lost Alice… oh god, my throat tightened just thinking about it. I couldn't lose my family, I'd already had to go through losing dad once, but if I lost Meme and Alice. I shuddered. Alice was my only blood relative left, but Meme is the only mother figure I'd ever known.

"Emmett's my brother." He managed, his eyebrows arched and his eyes danced with delight. "I'm Edward, remember?" I just stared wide eyed and sad. Alice meant everything to me, to be in Emmett's shoes, just thinking about it. Oh god, I would be the best sister to Emmett. I swear! He must be in so much pain! He must feel similar to how Edward is making me feel now.

"No." I whispered, "Oh god, Emmett." I broke down, the tears that were building up spilled over. I made a weird choking sound and leaned forward, catching myself on Carlisle's desk. I lowered myself to the carpeted floor, preventing myself from having another nasty fall. I wiped at my eyes, pulling myself back together slowly. Alice would never let anything happen to Meme or her, and I'm sure Emmett needed someone right now, I'm sure Esme was working with him psychologically, especially because she kept her mouth shut about him. Doctor-patient confidentiality, you know?

"Hey now, don't cry, everything is alright." Edward comforted softly, kneeling in front of me. I didn't want him to see me cry, I looked like a pink puffy chipmunk afterward. "I'm not dead." He whispered, and I froze, my palm still indenting my cheek. I let them fall to my side, the back of my hand rubbing across the carpet. He was in denial? He knew he could go through things. That no one else could see him and still he thought he was alive?

Should I tell him? How would that blow over? 'Oh, by the way, you're dead.' I've never had to tell a ghost they were dead before. I was about to breach the subject, just ask 'if he wasn't dead, how could I see him', but he faded. Ghosts do that from time to time for one reason or another. I used to think that ghosts were on a timer, that they could only be in the in-between land for so long, but I don't know for sure.

I sniffed a couple more times, and whipped my eyes clear for good. The crazy emotions decreasing by half when Edward vanished, which was weird; I'd never taken on other ghosts emotions before. I wouldn't cry anymore, Alice and Meme were fine; it was Emmett that I needed to worry about, and this confused ghost that wanted to stay around his family. If Edward didn't move on in enough time, he'd never be able to move on.

"Hello?" Carlisle called; he was standing in the door way, looking around. He spotted me on the carpet in front of his desk. "Bella? Are you alright?" He took a few steps in, then paused, "Do you want me to get Esme?" Torn between comforting me and not overstepping his bounds, he didn't even ask why I was in here in the first place. I almost laughed, how could Edward even doubt Carlisle for a second? I stood, shaking my head no.

"I'm fine," I told him, taking a few steps toward him. "I was looking for the library, since I couldn't sleep," I held up my journal for emphasis "I was going to leave but your painting caught my eye. Hopefully you don't mind, I touched nothing." I didn't have to act repentant or tense, I really was. Carlisle just smiled.

"Nothing is off limits in your own home Bella," He looked at me for a long moment, "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked tentatively, giving me plenty of room to back out. I didn't want him to think that I didn't want to confide in him, but Edward was so concerned about whether or not he knew my gift… I just didn't want to tell him yet. I couldn't lie; maybe I could give him a partial truth? His eyes were soft, a light hazel, they almost shined gold.

"I don't really know," I told him, "I was… attempting… to put myself in Emmett's shoes." I whispered the last part. Hopefully he wouldn't get angry. He loved Emmett, and well, I don't know, maybe it would hurt him too, thinking about his sister. I didn't lose contact with his eyes, and something did flash through them, regret? Longing? It was too fast, and a moment later, he pulled me to his chest. I responded a little late, was I comforting him or him me? I wasn't sure, either way I felt a bond with Carlisle. Like a real father-daughter moment. Tears stung my eyes as I thought of my own father; we had both lost someone we loved.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

I had made it to the library confused and surprisingly light hearted. Maybe because I was back to my normal emotionally stable self or maybe because I swore to avoid good looking ghosts for the rest of my life. I snorted at myself, like that was going to happen! For one, I apparently shared a house with two ghosts, and for two, I think I'd made a ghost-friend.

Carlisle and I had a nice few moments together. I'd have to talk to Esme about it before she tackled me and demanded to know what had happened, but right now, I needed coffee. The sun wasn't up yet, but I could feel it approaching.

I sketched Edward for awhile, even made a list on the opposite page. I mostly wrote down the things he said, the color of his eyes 'vivid rainforest'; I even brainstormed on how to tell him he wasn't alive anymore. My favorite sketch was of Edward's crooked smile, it paled in comparison to the real thing, but it was nice.

Being friends with a ghost was new to me. Although just having a pleasant non-demanding (on his part) conversation, hardly meant we were friends. It was just so different, and I wasn't used to talking normally with anyone besides Alice, and maybe Carlisle and Meme.

Usually, once a ghost realized they could be seen they demanded I send some letter, or find some person for them. Usually, they believe I was put here on this earth strictly to help them. It made me feel like this gift was really a curse. A curse to follow the dead, a curse to balance myself between two worlds, not really accepted with the living, and definitely not accepted with the dead. Edward was different, he just, hung out with me, and cared about my well being, when I broke down before he vanished he tried to comfort me. He never once asked me to do anything for him. Hell, I'd been the one extracting information from him.

I pushed the ghost from my mind, hoping, but knowing it was no use, that I wouldn't have to deal with either ghost again. One was scary as all get out, and the other invoked weird emotions in me (literally).

Stairs are easier to go down than up, and I held on to the railing. My journal tucked under my arm, the library was quaint. If I had designed it myself it wouldn't have been as perfect. There were three chairs that were squishy and made getting comfortable a breeze. The bookshelves were lined against the wall and scattered in tight lines around the room, and where Carlisle's office had a fireplace, it doubled on the same wall in the library too. It made me excited for winter. I could see myself curled up with a blanket, a good book, sitting in a squish chair and feeling the warmth flicker my way.

When I made it down the last couple steps I could smell coffee. My mouth salivated and I followed my nose to the kitchen. Please don't be Rose, please don't be Rose, and when I pushed the door open, Jasper was sitting on the breakfast nook. I sighed in relief, as I took in the Rose-free kitchen and noticed my new step brother had a coffee mug in his hand. My envy must have shown clear on my face because he laughed.

"Plenty in the pot," He lifted his mug in the direction of the god of all coffee pots. There were so many buttons I was glad he was already up and had brewed it, because I would have been lost. I was grateful I wouldn't have to deal with Rose this early; pre-coffee Bella was far less tolerant. Now where are the mugs? I stepped toward the coffee maker, opening up a cabinet and peering in. Plates and Tupperware? Who puts plates above the coffee maker, and the Tupperware should go above the dishwasher. Wasn't that what normal people do? Organize their things to be close to the items they are used with?

"Esme has already complained," Jasper told me, humor in his voice. I smiled at him, he must realize that their house was definitely organized and decorated by a bachelor. "Mugs are under the sink, one cabinet over," I shuddered, why would they put them so low? We hadn't unpacked our kitchen items yet, but I could already see the battle. I complied, finding a mug with a kitten holding a red balloon; it made me smile so I brought it over to the machine of all coffee gods.

"Good morning," I told Jasper, realizing then I hadn't said anything to him yet, just demanded coffee with my facial expressions. He didn't seem angry, just politely responded in kind. I poured myself a cup, breathing in the steam as I did so. Oh yum, was this Colombian mix? I did a little wiggle of anticipation, this is my favorite flavor.

"Someone's too happy this morning," Alice grumbled, coming over and swiping my mug when I was returning the pot to its holder.

"Hey! Swiper, no swiping!" Alice laughed, as I quoted Dora the explorer, we were both avid cartoon watchers. She smiles, licking the kitty on the front of my mug from top to bottom.

"My germs!" She called, playing a game we used to play with food, mostly sweets, when we were young. Whoever touched it first called 'germs'. Needless to say it developed into a pretty gross game as the years went by. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet, either," She told me, grinning as I cringed. Usually I didn't care since we had the same genes and all, but she had monster morning breath. I did not want those germs near me. I nudged my head toward Jasper, and her face turned a deep red. Hm, and she said she's never surprised!

"I haven't brushed mine," He said as one of his shoulders raised up, then down, in dismissal. He didn't care, but only because he didn't know yet. He will when he gets within three feet of my sister. Trust me on that one. Alice could clear a room.

I snorted, gathering up another mug as a familiar chill ran up my spine. I picked a smile-face cup and turned scanning the room slyly; hoping Jasper wouldn't notice me acting strange two days in a row. Edward was silently walking toward me, his eye brows arched together. My stomach flipped, why am I so happy to see him? I had worried about him when he vanished. I knew ghosts did that from time to time, but with Edward, I wanted to know where he went. Edward didn't appear to want to vanish when he did in Carlisle's office earlier. I couldn't help by smile at him, but I dropped it when I remembered we weren't alone.

"What happened? Are you feeling better now?" He bent over slightly to meet my eyes at the right angle. I guess making sure that I wasn't crying anymore. I gave a small smile, and side stepped to reach the coffee pot again. Mug number two smelled even better than mug number one. Edward followed me, and I gave him a few flirty looks through my eyelashes. I paused, was I flirting with the dead? I sighed and took a sip of the best tasting substance in the world. 'Bella,' I told myself, 'you need to think about what you are doing. Flirting with a ghost is one thing, but don't get attached, focus on getting him to move on.'

"Do you know more than eighty percent of Americans are addicted to Caffeine?" Jasper asked, bringing my attention to him as I made my way to the breakfast nook. I smiled to myself; of course the doctor's kid would know the statistics to addictions in America. I claimed a stool next to him, Alice already settled in to my left. She wouldn't risk sitting too close and I didn't blame her, I've woken up to that mouth for sixteen years.

"It's the cheapest stimulant available, and this happens to be my favorite flavor," I sipped again, not at all concerned with America's coffee well being. If you wanted to stop, more power to you, but there was something about a nice black cup greeting you in the morning.

"It's not just from coffee either," Alice added, "tea, energy drinks, you name it, and we've probably put caffeine in it." I dipped my head up and down in agreement, not looking at her, and absorbing my delectable mug fumes.

Edward leaned over the counter, his face leaning toward me, still looking concerned. I gave him a little smile, "Jasper doesn't know?" He whispered, and I almost laughed. They couldn't hear, why was he being careful with his volume? I slowly shook my head negatively. Alice tapped her toe against my shin and I gave her an easy smile. As I said before, Alice misses nothing.

"Are you always an early riser?" I asked as I gave Jasper a sideways glance and he smiled a little, starting a conversation with me.

"Yeah, I guess you two are as well?" We nodded. "I'd like the company, Rose sleeps well past noon any chance she gets and Emmett stays up all hours of the night. Carlisle is gone by now, he leaves around four. How about Esme?" I watched as Edward leaned against the counter, examining me.

"It's too early; she'll be up a little after day break. She makes the best breakfasts," Alice explained, and I moaned thinking of Meme's pancakes, crepes, waffles, omelets, and my all time favorite.

"I hope she makes French toast." I added, thinking of that subtle brown sugar taste only Esme can add. No wonder they were my favorite! I licked my lips, bringing my mug to them as Edward chuckled. I liked his easy smile second best.

"With bananas?" Jasper asked, awe in his voice. His eyes were wide, looking between Alice and me, good thing this nook was curved in a slight C, or he wouldn't be able to see around me.

"Yup, and if she has time in the morning, she fries them in honey," Alice licked her lips after she said honey and my belly grumbled in response. All this food talk was making me want them even more. I turned to Alice, then Jasper.

"I'll get the pan," Jasper said, while Alice jumped off her stool asking where the honey and cinnamon were located. I went to the fridge to get the eggs, milk and bananas, if that's where they keep their bananas, it was anyone's guess. Edward told me where the bread was, and I opened a drawer. There should be saran wrap and plastic baggies in this drawer, we had so much work to do.

"How'd you know where to find the bread?" Jasper asked, and I laughed nervously, scared he would be suspicious. Edward saved me, "Tell him you found it yesterday, before dinner." Edward followed me around the kitchen, "it's not like he caught you talking to yourself, and he's just curious." I looked over at Jasper, he was confused and I told him Edward's lie, my cheeks flaring.

"You are the worst liar," Edward laughed at me; I glared at him, turning my red face toward the pan. "It's cute." Edward continued, leaning against the cabinet beside the oven. I still didn't meet his eyes, my heart skipping a beat. I ignored it, and him, asking for a bowl to mix the eggs and milk together in order to dip the bread in it. It was rather hard to have a friend no one else can see. Even harder if he kept following me around, giving me information I should be finding out from other people, and making me blush about things no one else could see or hear.

I smiled as I took a fork to the cracked eggs and a dash of milk in the future bread dipping bowl. Alice buttered the pan and turned the stove on. My new brother was pretty cool too, slicing bananas, maybe this could be a new routine, the three of us having coffee and sometimes making breakfast together, well, I mean the four of us. I'd have to be careful what I said though, I guess this is how Alice felt, knowing things before everyone else. Now, with Edward telling me things I'd be in kind of the same predicament.

I think I liked Edward though, and I'd get used to this family, Rose be damned. Besides, I think Edward called me cute. I groaned softly, I am so doomed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Moonstruck Souls**

Disclaimer: Not copyright infringement is intended. All things Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer's I am simply borrowing her characters.

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers and to Synphilia my Beta!

Dreams are often most profound, when they seem the most crazy.  
-Sigmund Freud

Chapter Four: Gifts of Many Kinds

"Wait," Alice asked, actually more like demanded, her palm facing me for a moment and a nice smirk playing on her lips. "So you have a crush on a dead guy?" I groaned, almost glad Edward vanished about an hour ago. I would die if Edward could hear my sister now, my apologies to the dead for my word choice. "That is sick on so many levels. He's like, related to you now, he is your dead step brother-cousin. Incestuous necrophilia anyone?"

"Oh shut up!" I picked up my pillow and mashed it into her face for a moment as her laughter filled the room. "I wouldn't call it a crush." Her laughter deepened, she would have sore stomach muscles if she didn't stop her laugh attack soon. We were lying on her bed, staring up at her side of the ceiling, on our backs. Her laughter died for a second before picking up volume and overtaking her again, I didn't think it was funny, not really anyways. Alice has always had a sick twist to her humor, it comes from never being surprised, I think. "We're really like, non-related step cousins, very distantly marriage related..." I groaned as she just reminded me of the forgotten 'dead part.' "That's not all either." I told her, almost regretting telling her anything at all in the first place. I needed some help though, some outside advice on this situation. "He doesn't know he's dead, and he's tracked me down twice, not including when he saved me from that friggin' scary as all hell ghost at dinner."

All her laughter halted, her head rotated slowly on the pillow we were sharing until she was looking up at me. It was like exorcist movements, she was creeping me out, her eyes were dilated and an eerie feeling crept up on me. What? Oh god, just say it! She had realized something, something that I hadn't seen, or maybe something she just pieced together with her own vision.

"Did you draw him?" She asked, and I nodded. "Let me see." Her sudden seriousness was scaring my own laughter and playfulness out of me. I jolted from the bed, grabbing my journal I had neglected to actually put away and flipped the pages as I made my way back. She was grabbing her own from her shelf; did she have a vision about a ghost? Impossible! She would have told me something like that!

"What is it?" I asked, not looking through my own and just focusing on Alice. She pulled my journal free and flipped through it herself; I let her, going for her journal. I didn't get far, since she stopped me, taking her own and sitting on it as she moved back to her bed. I rolled my eyes and sat down next to her, waiting for Alice to decide what I can and can't know about the future.

"Oh, he's… hott, with two t's Bella." She pretended to fan herself with her hand, "I think I'm crushing too, and I haven't met him." I held out my hand and rotated my wrist, asking her to elaborate on what she was freaking out about not a minute ago. She was bouncing from emotion to emotion again, she needed to pick one and stick with it.

"Well, what is it then?" I asked her since she ignored me and flipped to the next drawing of him pushing his hair back. "Why did you want to see him?"

"I wanted to rate him, see what your type is. I've been dying for you to date someone." She was lying, I knew because she didn't look at me when she said it. I snorted; she hasn't found her 'type' yet either, although she did date this guy for about four hours. It was on a bet though. One of his friends wanted to see how far he could get Alice to go. We were known as the crazy-Swan-twins, how he thought that meant whore, was beyond me. After he advanced on her Alice took him down and dumped him in the lunch room. Stupid Todd Hornbeck, he wanted to make out with her, she said no, he tried anyways, he was kneed in the you-know-what, and history was made. No dates for the crazy-Swan-twins: they freak when you touch them. Stupid redneck high school teenagers.

"And why did you grab your journal too?" She sighed, and handed my own back, before pulling her's out from under her tiny little butt. Alice leaned away from me, flipping and flipping before she stopped and flipped back a page. She always hid the future from me, mostly because I wanted it that way, but also because if I knew, I could change it, and Alice doesn't like other's messing with what she knows should happen. Even if I knew a little thing was going to happen, I might change my behavior and act differently, and then we'd be back in the same dilemma. I liked not knowing, and Alice liked being the only one that knew everything.

"I, I just want you to be careful." She whispered, not looking at me and still flipping through her journal. "I've been having these strange dreams," he cheeks flushed, before she shook her head and continued "you're fuzzy, and I wonder if the angry ghost or your Edward is to blame. Something horrible is lurking on the edges Bella, and I can't see ghosts, so I don't know!" She was frazzled, and when she did finally meet my eyes, I could see how afraid she was.

"It's after school starts," A big grin covered her face before she could stop it, although she was still scared, then she shook her head from side to side. What was that about? "Some guy named Mike; he'll be in one of your classes and well…" Alice flipped her book up so the pages were facing me, we were holding hands, him in front pulling me along and I looked nervous maybe a bit upset, Alice had added pink to my cheeks. I glared since she had only adding that bit of color to the whole picture, but I guess it was relevant that I was blushing. We were passing lockers; a pretty girl was glaring at us as we passed. Did I like this guy? I looked over him, reading over her notes. His features were listed in the column, blonde hair, brown eyes, average looking, stupid laugh, and lastly invades personal space.

"For a moment I thought that it was you, that you would find a new gift, but, the next scene, it didn't make sense until… until I thought maybe your ghost is jealous?" She flipped it to the next page, and I studied the picture. Alice was standing beside me now, my mouth was a perfect 'O' of shock. The pretty girl was crying and screaming, maybe? Her mouth was open wide her eyes tight in fear, no one else was around, no, Mike was there, smashed against the lockers in the far left of the sketch.

"Oh snap," I said, some invisible force had been able to not only touch him, but to hurt him. I skimmed over the adjacent page, reading her notes. 'Jessica already hated us?' 'How did Bella push him away like that, without touching him?' 'I couldn't get there fast enough.' 'Blood, and screams, and Mr. Banner is running toward us.' Alice reached over and flipped the page again.

It was Mike's bloody face, yelling at Jessica for being jealous. It was all in her side notes, Mike and Jessica have a history, and he didn't see who pushed him, so rationalized that it was Jessica. Mr. Banner separates them, and tells me and Alice to leave.

"So you think…" I started, my throat tightening, "I'll find or have found a different kind of ghost? Not Edward, right? I don't think he can touch people. It has to be another ghost out there that has the capabilities to hurt others… shit." The thought terrified me. I didn't want to deal with a violent ghost, but I didn't think it was Edward. I wasn't concerned about this occurrence or how our reputation would be started all over again if this actually happened; I just wanted to know if Edward was somehow_… different_. With Alice's 'invades personal space' note, and my non-smiling face, I would think I didn't want to hold hands with this Mike I haven't met yet, so maybe Edward was protecting me? But to hurt someone like that… to be able to touch a person...

"Have there been other incidents?" I don't like this.

"I haven't seen any other strange things happening to you that resembles this," I snorted at her arbitrary use of words, so other more-strange-than-normal supernatural things were going to happen to me… Oh, friggin' great, Alice, "but it isn't a decision… I don't know how I could see this; I've been getting some strange things lately. I'm not sure if a dream-vision is just a dream or not anymore. But since I somehow knew who this was, and could draw it… I don't know." Alice sighed, gripping her journal rather roughly.

"I'm thinking a ghost is going to follow you around… a lot… and this ghost is going to be violent and jealous. If it's not Edward, it might be the other one you'd seen at dinner." Alice said, pulling her journal back as I shivered. So maybe it wasn't Edward that can hurt and touch, maybe it was that other evil angry ghost or another ghost all together, since I haven't seen the other one in awhile. "We'll figure it out, I'll watch you extra close, you've been… hazy lately. It's pissing me off."

"Alice," I hissed, she never used language, Esme never prohibited it, but she always clicked her tongue in disapproval and that was enough to stop us. My nerves ebbed as I reminded myself that Alice would change this future event, and since she told me about this she was making it not happen.

"Well, it's true," Alice said, shrugging and looking back at me over her should to stick her tiny tongue out at me again. "I think it's because you and your ghost are going to be tied at the hip, he's mucking up my focus. It has to be Edward then, right? He's the good one, unless the other one is… secretly trailing you, in which case, maybe you should ask Edward to haunt you… _man!_" She shook her head in disbelief. This time, I cracked up laughing, falling backward unto Alice's bed, clutching my sides. It was relief laughter, Edward wouldn't hurt me, there had to be some other explanation. I was laughing because she is the one that made my future fuzzy, by asking me to ask Edward to trail me, in case the fuzzy future wasn't because of Edward. Oh god, this knowing the future thing is complicated!

"Oh shut up," Alice chuckled, picking up the pillow I had thrown at her and jumped on me, using the pillow to whack me on the head as she landed, her little legs going on either side of my stomach, "So maybe, in essence, I'm pissing myself off, but I'd rather be safe than sorry later!" Alice laughed too, unable to resist joining my giggle party.

"You even piss yourself off! Oh, this is too good!" Maybe I should have been concerned with Mike, but he seemed fine, jumping back to yell at that girl he thought pushed him. Besides, I'd just talk to Edward about it later. It was after school started, and the future changes. We had time to think about it since I doubted it would be on the first day of school. I would just refuse to hold Mike's hand. For his own good, and mine. The troubling part is whether I knew this ghost now, or would I meet him or her later? One of them can touch people, hurt people. I needed to be careful about that. Our laughter died down just in time for Alice to fall on her back beside me, and hear two soft knocks.

"Girls?" Esme called from the hall, our door was cracked open, but she knocked anyways respecting our privacy.

"Meme?" Alice and I chimed back, we laughed at our own joke and Esme pushed the door open, silently chuckling and shaking her head from side to side.

"Thank you for breakfast. Rose and Emmett are enjoying their own plates now," Meme said with a silent hint to join them. I looked over at Alice and rolled my eyes. We are so not sucking up to that Barbi-brat.

"Jasper helped too," Alice said, and I chimed in after.

"You should thank him," Alice nudged me with her hip, maybe on accident, but I don't think Alice ever did anything on accident.

"Um, Bella…" Esme asked, walking into the room, and closing the door behind her. Oh, Alice's nudge was a warning that this visit was about me. Probably my breakdown earlier with Carlisle in his study, hm, I should probably tell her about the good ghost too. Should I tell her it's Edward, Emmett's deceased brother? Probably not. "Carlisle told me about this morning, before he left for work. Would you like to talk about it?"

I looked at Alice, then to Esme. I had to tell her something, I didn't know why I had such a strong reaction, maybe because I'd already lost one family, and the thought of going through that all over again was too much…

"Carlisle and I bonded, I think," I told Esme honestly, she smiled sadly, still standing away from me and Alice, close to the door. "The ghost that lives here is nice, he didn't make me cry. He was just telling me about his past, and I put myself in his shoes… I… I have a family now, but if I lost you or Alice, even Carlisle now, I can't go through that again. I just miss dad, don't worry too much, and I'm going to journal about it."

Hopefully that covered all my bases. Alice spoke up, I was surprised because usually when it just involved one of us, the other stayed out. It was an unspoken agreement.

"We were just talking about it. She is over sensitive right now because it's close to her time of the month." I scoffed, making a weird '.' cough noise with my throat. Esme giggled, covering her lips with her fingertips trying to hold herself back. Esme changed the subject before I could give a proper retort.

"I was worried that it may have been because of… well, I just want you to be happy here," I smiled at Esme, I knew what she had thought, that living here with a ghost, a horrible new sister in a house too big for my liking and nowhere else to go, that I hated it here. That I had been balling my eyes out because of it in Carlisle's office, but that wasn't right, not at all.

"As long as I'm with the two of you, I'm happy," I told Esme, and I watched her eyes light up, and I stood, not needing Alice to tell me the future, I knew a hug was in order. Esme hugged me and I laughed at her absurdity. She was definitely a mother! She worried so much about the two of us. Me, mostly, because Alice was so talkative, but Esme always doubted herself when it came to us. I didn't like it, and neither of us knew why. She is a great psychologist, but when it came to her own children, or well, her step children, she always seemed unsure, probably because Alice and I were different, and definitely anything but normal.

We pulled apart and Esme and Alice shared a nervous look, trying to do it behind my back, but I pulled away too quickly. What was that about? I narrowed my eyes, looking from my mother to my sister and back again.

"I hate being left out," I mumbled since neither offered up any information, even after I caught them in the act of thought sharing. "It's something I won't like," Alice smiled and Esme looked away, nervous. Oh just flippin' great.

"I'm going to love it, and this will force you to-" Esme waved her hand for Alice to shut up.

"Alice always ruins her surprises," Esme told me, but I was nervous now. A surprise means we are being gifted something. More than just the phones, I could tell by Esme's face. "Try to be happy, and please don't worry too much when you get it… Carlisle should be home in an hour. Come down stairs for lunch, around then, for food, not your early birthday gift," Oh. God. Our birthday is in September, being late July is really early.

Esme left, giving Alice another warning glance to keep her mouth shut. As soon as Esme's soft steps receded down the stairs I turned on Alice full force. Alice gave a small smile, and started pushing back the cuticles of her nails trying to act nonchalant. Maybe I was about to start my period because I was irritated now, when I'd just been laughing with Alice, nervous and upset with Esme, and now this.

"I'm showering," I muttered, turning toward the bathroom, stopping at my dresser to grab a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my drawer. If Alice even mentioned dressing me for our big gift, I'd explode. I think she knew that because she just let me go. I hated getting presents, and I think this one was going to be big… too big, judging by just how nervous Esme was. If Carlisle was getting it… gah! I didn't want him to spend any money on me!

I gathered my rapidly changing emotions in a huff; I had to work on graciously accepting things. Carlisle would treat us like his own children, I can't refuse a phone or a credit card but I don't want to accept them either. I don't want to take advantage of anyone! Especially the kindest, most selfless, 'help you with anything' man that married my step mother!

"Just say, 'thank you'," Alice said from across the room. "That's all you have to do." She was smiling ear to ear, bouncing on the bed from her swinging legs over the side. They were too short to reach the carpet; she really is trapped in a pre-teen's body. "It's not that hard, just don't break down or anything. Say it with me… 'Thank you.'" I groaned turning and closing the bathroom door behind me. I could hear Alice laughing.

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Edward asked, sitting on the bathroom counter. I yelped, my hand automatically covering my racing heart. Being alone in a bathroom with the guy you have a crush on just doesn't seem like the proper thing to do. Shit, no I don't have a crush on him! I groaned, and glared at Edward. How long has he been in here? Had he been listening to everything? All thoughts of a ghost that can touch things escaped me in my moment of shock.

Hey! What if I had been naked?

"Alright, we need to lay down some ground rules!" I told him, as Alice laughed from the other side of the door, her fast footsteps approached the door before poking her head in.

"Where is he?" I pointed to the counter and Edward rose up an inch or so when he straightened his back in surprise. Her big round almost innocent eyes turned to Edward's general direction. Our eyes were probably our only similarity, both brown, although hers were a lot lighter. "Would you mind trailing my sister? Apparently some evil ghost dude is trying to hurt her. He can actually touch things, and… I'm worried that someone, mainly my sister will get hurt." She almost pulled back but popped her head back in again. If Alice thought Edward wasn't the ghost I needed to be cautious of, then that was enough for me. Alice wouldn't have said anything to Edward if she didn't have faith or trust him. Unless she trusted my judgment, I wasn't sure that was the right thing for Alice to put her confidence in.

"Did he say yes?" I groaned, rubbing my hand over my face in mock horror. "Oh, and if I catch you waiting for me to get naked in here, there will be hell to pay." Alice threatened the counter top before closing the door behind her.

Edward looked mortified, amazed and a bit confused. He tore his eyes away from the door and looked at me. "You guys are… really different for being twins." I was about to say he had no idea, when my eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you find out we're twins?" I shook my head as he told me about Carlisle talking about us at the hospital, that wasn't as important though. "Back to the ground rules thing!" I glared and his eyes grew wide, maybe in surprise and innocence, but I wasn't sure. "Bathrooms and closets are off limits. You hear that Alice? Change in either of those." He gave me a big wide smile, when I turned back to him after calling out to my sister.

"But your sister wants me to trail you. I have to protect you at all times." Gah! This wasn't a joke, this future Mike friend is going to get hurt! He chuckled, wait… did he appear here on purpose? My jaw dropped before I could stop it.

"She doesn't mean you have to trail me in the shower!" I groaned, throwing my towel at his not tangible body. It passed through and he chuckled, claiming that it tickled every time. At least I knew for sure he couldn't touch things now. "Out! Go keep my 'oh so pleasant' sister company." I pointed to the door, and he climbed down, still grinning. I was crabby today, wasn't I? Hm, Alice was always right… It had to be that time of the mouth. I counted backwards and cursed when the dates added up. Well, Edward was in the bathroom after I said I was going to shower! That was reason enough to get a bit huffy. Good thing I could see ghost or who knows what he would have seen!

…o…o…o…o…o…o…o…o…o…o…o…

I think this is family meeting number two. We were all gathered in the kitchen for lunch, Esme had spread the word and when Carlisle came home, everyone slowly accumulated to the same room. I felt much better after my shower, not so tense or agitated, and Edward had waited for me. It made me smile, although, I'm pretty sure Alice had told him some things, because he was still grinning like an idiot when I came out.

He 'trailed me' like Alice asked him too, and I noticed he was in a much happier mood as well, I guess it was rubbing off? Edward stayed close to me, always keeping me in his line of sight, but I focused back on the tension building in the room, most of it was coming from Rosalie as expected.

"Take two," Rose huffed sarcastically, actually helping bring the food into the dining room. "Try to stay calm." She was just being cruel, since the comment was directed at me, but I gave her a small smile and grabbed the bowls off the counter, disregarding her. Grilled cheese and tomato soup! One of mine and Alice's favorites! We were situated quickly, and Edward slide silently into the previously empty seat in front of me. He put his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his crossed arms. Good thing Esme couldn't see him sitting like that at the dinner table -lunch table- whatever. He was smiling at me, something had to be up.

"First things first!" Carlisle called, a smile on his face as he came around the table, Esme was dishing out soup. "Alice, Bella," Oh please don't be that really ostentatious gift that Alice is so excited for. I'd work on my thank you's, but I want to be warned! I don't want to be taken for a loop! "Here are your new phones," Carlisle handed us each a box, with a white card taped to the front our names scribbled on top.

"It's his welcome to the family package," Edward said, he rolled his eyes in a good-humored way. "He gave me and Emmett ours when we first arrived too. I guess he's keeping up with tradition."

"Thank you, Carlisle," Alice and I said together, unplanned, and we both giggled. Carlisle nodded, telling us its nothing, Esme was smiling from ear to ear. Rose, was well- Rose, Emmett was reaching for a second sandwich and Jasper was looking at me …Wait, why? I furrowed my brow at Jasper and he looked away, curious but polite.

Strange.

I kept looking back at Edward, maybe making sure he was still there. I didn't want him to disappear again. I should ask him where he goes when he's not here, if he has any control over it, or if he just looses time. I wanted him to move on, but the more I thought about it, the tighter my throat became. Why was I having this reaction? If he vanished into the darkness of non-time, would that be his fate? Would he, or has he been disappearing in the wrong direction? Was not moving on a better alternative? Was I being selfish? I think we needed to talk… about a lot of things apparently.

"Everyone already has your number, and our numbers have been programmed in both of yours already," Alice giggled, hugging her own box. She thought it was awful being one of the only high school students without a cell phone before. Now, she could text me and talk my ear off any time she wanted. I smiled anyways; glad my sister was a constant in my life.

"We'd like to lay down some ground rules," Esme said, smiling while bringing us back to the topic at hand. I was glad Rose was the only one that mentioned my previous freak-out. "Any objections will be considered and discussed." I guess we all agreed because Carlisle was listing off the new rules, soon after.

Carlisle was very diplomatic, and the 'guidelines', as they said before, ranged from school expectations, to curfew, to other's bedroom boundaries and my personal favorite, boyfriend/girlfriend rules. I grinned as he eyed Emmett, silently reminding him of something from the past. Edward chuckled, and I eyed him with a smile. He knew!

Edward wasn't giving anything away, his just shrugged his shoulders and continued to listen to Carlisle. His head still splayed out on his crossed arms. They were all very reasonable, and Rose still refused to drive us to school. She claimed her Ferrari was too much for anyone else to handle.

"Then everyone will ride with Emmett or Jasper, if there are other activities going on that day for that person, then and only then, is it alright to drive separately. Everyone is going to and from the same place. Don't be difficult, you should… stick together." Rose didn't argue that, but I did hear some mumbling coming from her direction.

How could she possibly hate us? I didn't find Rose particularly pleasant, but I didn't go out of my way to hurt her. Why were Alice and I being stomped on repeatedly by a girl our age, now our sister, for no apparent reason?

"It would be wonderful if everyone could pitch in moving in the rest of the household items?" Esme asked politely, I think she meant it as a statement. Alice responded as I started nibbling on my sandwich after dunking it in my soup.

"Your bedroom is finished then? May I see the finished product?" Esme laughed shortly, and Carlisle chuckled, both shaking their heads no.

"It's not quite right yet," Esme ducked her head low. Well, I knew what that meant. Bad girl Meme!

"What the hell were you doing yesterday then?" Rose asked, Carlisle's previous reprimand had only contained her for about a minute. Rose knew exactly what had happened, she wasn't daft, she just wanted to embarrass them. I wondered if I kept track of everything Rose said around me, how often a negative statement would come out, versus a nice one.

Esme's cheeks darkened to a shade of pink, and Carlisle reminded her sternly about language at the table. Like it wasn't painfully obvious what Carlisle and Esme were doing, they were newlyweds, which is what they did.

"Enough with the visuals, it's… revolting," Edward groaned out, pushing his two fingers into his temples. I raised my eyebrows at him, silently asking what that was about. Edward smiled at me, dropping his scowl, and he made the same movements with his shoulders, up and then down. I gave him a small half smile back, looking over the table. Jasper was watching me curiously, again.

"I think he's on to you," Edward whispered, his back straightening and looking over his shoulder to the kitchen. He sounded mischievous, but his actions seemed anxious. It was a strange contradiction, but he smiled at me after a moment. I followed his gaze slowly, but I didn't feel anything off and I couldn't see anything. I focused on lunch, and my family crowded around the table, acting normal. Edward drew my attention constantly, although, I wasn't sure if it was my doing or his.

"Who wants to help reorganize the kitchen!" Esme said, real excitement bouncing in her voice. Esme loved all things decoration or home improvement wise, it's her secret talent, but her love of helping others trumped her home design skills. She confided in us often on how hard a decision it was to choose, but her choice had been a wonderful one, because she wouldn't have met our father, or been our mother if she hadn't been a psychologist. She had been transferred to work in Carlisle's hospital. They had a wing for attempted suicides, and Meme would be working with them. She seemed excited to start in a new, but similar direction.

Rose groaned, pushing back her chair and leaving. At least she put her plate in the sink; we didn't have to clean up after her, but she didn't respond one way or another. Although her exit was a pretty clear 'hell no.' Alice giggled, and Emmett volunteered to bring the boxes in.

"I'll help," Jasper said, although he turned to me again, I think, waiting for my answer? I nodded, still wondering what could be possibly going through Jaspers head. Alice looped her arm through mine, her head resting on shoulder. Edward chuckled, and I appraised his adopted-foster cousin again, what was going on? Something weird was happening. We definitely need to talk really soon.

Lunch was cleaned up, and before I knew it, I was moving boxes. Hadn't I sworn that I would never move again? I groaned, and followed Emmett back and forth from the garage to the kitchen. His eyes were still red, and under them were dark circles. He wasn't getting better. I should ask Edward how to help him. After the fifth trip, I hung back, pretending to be out of breath a bit, as Emmett picked up two other boxes labeled 'pots and pans.'

"You alright over there, skinny-mini?" He asked, and I snorted, shooing him away.

"I'll catch up, just give me a minute," Edward eyed me for a moment, he hadn't lied to Alice he really was stalking me. She must have told him about her visions, that she only seen things happening to and around me. Emmett ducked his head at me, and followed the sidewalk path back to the house alone this time.

"You do not have a career in acting; I can guarantee that in all my years, I haven't seen someone more horrible at it than you. You're lucky Emmett is off his game," I eyed Edward this time, looking for some sign that he was worried for his brother. Yup, he had a wrinkle right between his brows.

"How do I help him?" I asked, thinking that maybe if Emmett improved, Edward would want to move on. A tinge of sorrow settled in my stomach, but I sucked it up. I needed to help Edward somehow, even if it meant I lost a friend. Maybe I could gain another through Emmett?

"I'll figure something out," Edward whispered, looking over at the door his brother had exited. His face lit up for a moment, before he turned back to me. I nodded, biting my lip as I debated with a newly arisen selfish side of myself. Why did I want to keep Edward around? I knew the guy for all of twenty four hours, but for some odd reason, it felt like I recognized Edward. Like a part of my soul recognized him from a past life or something. Alright, now I was getting for real freaky. Edward chuckled, telling me to get to work.

"Easy for you to say!" I narrowed my eyes, but broke out in a grin before I could stop myself. "Oh, are you going to tell me what was up at dinner?" Edward looked surprised, and then cleared his expression quickly. I grabbed a box, heading for the door waiting for his explanation.

"I was going to let you figure it out… but, whatever. Now is cool too." I paused, watching Edward's tropical green eyes flash with apprehensiveness, fear, determination, and finally relief. "For some reason you are the exception to my gift." Wait, Edward had a gift? I didn't have time to process it, let alone think of the options before he explained. "Maybe because you automatically block… spirits, or whatever I am right now, but I can read minds. Everyone I have ever come across so far I've never had a problem with, except for you." I had been asking about Emmett getting busted with a girlfriend sometime in the past… not about… well shit.

I knew Edward told me that Alice and I are not alone, that there had been other gifted people out there, but I never thought I'd get to meet one. I wasn't sure if Edward counted since he wasn't alive anymore, but so many emotions rushed through me at once. First was mortification, until I realized my mind was safe, then elation that Alice and I really haven't been alone all this time, next was fear because maybe Carlisle had started a collection but I pushed it away as understanding crept up on me. Alice hadn't told Edward anything, he could hear it in her head. It had seemed odd to me that he trailed me so closely, that Alice had told him something that scared him. It made sense now, and I shivered. Edward and I were far more alike than I would have ever realized.


	5. Chapter 5

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, nor claim anything. All rights to Twilight, and all things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer's. I respect that, I just like controlling her characters. No copy right infringement is intended.

A/N: My beta is AWESOME! and thanks for my reviews (I only have 17, but I'm still enjoying the story)!

I do what Mark Twain did. I get my daily paper, look at the obituaries page and if I'm not there I carry on as usual.  
**-Patrick Moore.**

Chapter Five:

"Can I tell Alice?" I asked, standing there among the remaining kitchen boxes in the garage. Letting the knowledge of his gift soak in. Edward could read minds. I shouldn't have asked, because I'd probably end up telling Alice anyways. Now, if he said no, I'd have to try and keep it from Alice, and when she found out -which she always does- she'd use it against me to wear one of her outfits or worse! She might even be angry that I kept a real secret from her. Edward was staring back, just as intently, watching me for any sign of discomfort; I knew, since I was doing the same thing to him. It was a shocked and uncomfortable stare down. I was still absorbing the information. Edward can read minds, just not my mind. Was he lying about it so I wouldn't try to stop thinking about certain things? Especially things concerning him? But why would he tell me he couldn't then? What is the point to telling me at all, if he was keeping secrets? Was he keeping any other secrets? I didn't really know Edward, that's for sure.

"I don't mind," He answered, smiling at me, and I had forgotten my question. Oh right, I can tell Alice. If he was right about my mind being the exception to him, that being a ghost made his mind reading gift unusable on me, was it really because I can see him, and the others can't? Was there more to my gift than just seeing and hearing spirits that haven't moved on?

"Are you alright, Bella?" Emmett asked, already half way into the garage. I hadn't been paying attention to my surroundings and Emmett had snuck up on me. Had he noticed me talking to invisible people, namely his brother? I spin, shocked and muddled down with too much going on in my head.

"No, I-" I really looked at Emmett, his eyes were clear and sad. What could I possibly do to help him? I can't do anything to help the living. My specialty is the dead, and although he's grieving there isn't much I can do besides talk to the guy, but about what? "I think I just need to… lie down or something." I shift slightly to take in Edward again; he was shaking his head, and rolled his eyes when he knew I was looking. "Tell Meme that, okay?" I didn't wait for his response, leaving Emmett there in the garage. Edward followed me as I made my way around to the front door so I could avoid Alice's questioning gaze, and Esme's concerned one.

A lot has happened in the last couple days. I wanted a smoothie and a nap as reparation.

Edward followed me, of course. The peace and quiet I wanted to sit and journal wouldn't happen, damn this stalking thing. Whatever Alice thought around Edward had him seriously committed to haunting me. I shivered, that alone really freaked me out. My future must be pretty chaotic. I sighed, adding something else to worry about and dissect for later. Alice would hunt me down soon, if she can get away from Esme that is. With Edward near me, I felt safe, but really nervous.

I didn't pass a soul from the front door to my room, well, except Edward, but you know what I mean. The coast was clear and I was glad I wouldn't have to make up an excuse, since I am a horrible liar. I really just needed to think. I wanted to list everything that was going on to organize it a bit better than this haywire of random information bits rushing through my head.

Before the door to my room was closed I had my blanket wrapped around me, a pen in my hand and my journal open. I listed what I knew about Edward's family. About the fire, his gifts, Emmett, and that I'd have to start keeping things from Alice that I didn't want Edward to know. Things that I'd learned about Carlisle from Edward and that painting in his study. I sighed, catching Edward's attention. He was looking around my room, he couldn't touch anything but I think he was comparing my side to my sisters.

"Are you upset that I didn't tell you?" He asked, his eyes shifting away from mine. Shit, I guess I did just run off after I found out. I really needed to work on my courtesy. I internally snorted at myself, who would have thought I'd been concerned about offending a dead guy.

"No... I'm sorry," I told him, waiting until he met my eyes to continue. "There has just been a lot going on, and a lot to absorb these last couple of days. I mean, yesterday I thought Alice and I were the only ones… then I find out there are others, then I find out you were, or are supernatural or whatever. Carlisle was a part of some secret society, Alice-" I stopped, wondering if Edward knew about my sister or not. I'm sure Alice didn't go around thinking that she is psychic or anything. I am sure she didn't talk about it to an empty room to an Edward she couldn't see either.

"She's dreamed about violent things happening around you. She worries about you a lot, especially now." Edward filled in the rest of my concerns, still a bit uncomfortable. "I know why you didn't tell me about Alice, but I should have told you about me, since I knew about you." He moved forward, standing at the end of my bed instead of pacing. We fell into silence and after a moment I noticed the phone box I had ignored after lunch on my desk. I would bet you a million, Alice snuck it up here. I crawled out of bed, satisfied with my journal organizing my thoughts and Edward understanding me. Maybe eventually I would know Edward, and he would know me. I felt better, I mean, journal therapy isn't that lame, even though I act like it is.

"The envelope in front is your credit card linked directly to the Cullen account, welcome to the family," Edward announced with a strange sarcastic half smile, as I grabbed the box and backed up to sit on the edge of my bed with it.

"It will be official when Carlisle buys you something ostentatious." I think I detected a hit of distain in his voice. Was it because he wasn't a member of the family anymore? Had he not been given an ostentatious gift or is it because Edward and I were officially semi-related now? Naw, it had to be one of the former. Being dead had to take a toll on a person. I groaned at Edwards comment, from Alice and Meme's behavior lately about a mysterious gift I'm not going to like, it seemed like that ostentatious gift Edward was talking about is right around the corner.

"Seriously, if I start acting like a rich-brat, please slap me with a fish," I told him, Edward snorted as he began reading over my book collection. "If I start knowing name brands and caring about my shoes, I'll slap myself with a fish, swear to god." Edward full on laughed after that, and I worked up my bravery to get this 'welcome package' over with.

Edward was right about the envelope. I was now an owner of a green, clover leaf covered discover card. I bent over and pulled my purse out from under my bed. It had been a 'half way to Christmas' present Alice gave me about two weeks ago. I slipped the card in my wallet, vowing to only use it in a real emergency or if I wanted a smoothie.

_What?_ I can't pass up a smoothie!

The phone was easier to accept. It was a slide phone with the full key board and when I powered it on, I plugged in the cord behind my bed and laced the wire to sit under my lamp for easy plug in access. Two beeping sounds alerted after a moment and Edward laughed as he leaned over the bed to read the face of my new phone.

"Alice is already-" Edward had started to say but flinched when Alice interrupted.

"BELLA!" Alice howled from the other side of the door a second before she plowed through it. "You cannot just disappear on me and give me a weak lie message from Emmett! It took me almost ten minutes to escape Esme and her organization terror! You stick me with Esme duty and ditch me at the first opportunity!"

"Jesus, hold your flippin' horses, I just got two texts I need to respond to." Alice rolled her eyes and walked right through Edward to crawl forward on my bed. Edward shivered and stepped aside, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You can't go off alone, alright?" She shifted from anger to concern, her rapidly changing emotions making Edward stare at Alice like she… like she was thinking about something that made Edward really tense! He shifted his gaze to me, and I shivered. Hell, I didn't even know what the hell was going on in Alice's head, but his expression scared me.

"Edward can read minds," I told her in a rush turning toward Alice and moving to the center of my bed. My phone and its texts were forgotten. Edward sighed and leaned against the wall in front of my bookshelf closest to me. I think he rolled his eyes, but I wasn't looking to know for sure.

"Shit, did he tell you?" Alice asked, her eyes shifting around her like she could maybe spot Edward and give him her signature glare. "Wait, there are others that can do… supernatural shit?" Alice's eyes widened, "I really didn't see that happening. I'm off my game Belly, it's scaring the shit out of me. I keep getting these weird visions that don't happen and they are all around you. Then I'm missing things that I normally don't, things that do happen that I didn't see!" Her voice squeaked.

"ALICE?" Meme called from down the stairs, our door was cracked so we could hear rather well. "Is everything alright up there?" Alice cursed under her breath before calling back.

"FIVE MORE MINUTES!" When Esme didn't respond I stopped Alice from continuing by explaining what I should have told her earlier.

"I didn't tell you this, but Carlisle used to be a part of this secret society where they studied and specialized in the supernatural." Alice's mouth popped open, her eyes shining hurt and betrayal before shock. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell her, she might treat Carlisle different.

"Like… experiments on people like us?" Alice asked, her voice betraying her aggressive portrayal by cracking with emotion. Edward stayed quiet but I did look over at him, he was staring at me, but he didn't give me an answer if there had been experiments.

"If there had been, Carlisle left before that, he didn't want any part of it after he graduated. That's what Edward told me anyways. I believe him because Carlisle couldn't do that to someone." She calmed down a bit, and I knew what Alice had been thinking about Carlisle. When I first heard, it had crossed my mind too. That maybe he had found us and used Esme's emotions against her to get us up here in the middle of nowhere to experiment on us, too.

"Shit," Alice whispered. "Maybe we should tell him then?" We studied each other's eyes for a long moment.

"I'm not sure how well it will blow over that I have conversations with his dead nephew," I told her, she sighed. Dropping her gaze to my open purse on the bed, just to met my eyes and nod in agreement after a second.

"I'm not dead," Edward told me again.

"Fine," I snapped at Edward "his in denial, dead nephew." What a mean way to breech the 'you're dead, and I'm sorry about that' topic. I sighed. "Sorry, Edward." He nodded but looked away. I hung my head and turned back to Alice. She puffed her cheeks up and let out a long breath.

"Let's give it some time, but please don't go off alone, I keep seeing flying objects headed for you. Some happening before school starts… I don't want you hurt," Alice stood from the bed, eyeing me before turning toward the bookshelf. "Don't let anything happen to her, okay?" Alice didn't wait for a response before she left the room, and to avoid meeting Edward's hurt eyes I checked my phone.

'Ask him to explain why he's not dead.' The first text read, I rolled my eyes at my sister's weirdness. She sent this before our conversation. She must have seen something about Edward and I semi-fighting, although that is really impossible, and the second text read, 'and you should apologize.'

"Edward?" I asked, waiting until he turned to face me, his eyes expressionless for the first time. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually so abrasive. I didn't mean to be so insensitive," It took him a minute to drop his hardened expression, but he gave me a forgiving smile, which I was grateful for.

I sighed at myself as Edward moved to the bed, sitting on the edge closest to me, not leaving even a hint of an indent, being that he was weightless. "I guess if I could see ghosts, and one kept saying they were alive, I wouldn't believe them either," I studied him for a long moment, his vibrant eyes showing a deep sadness. I wanted to make that sorrow go away. He spoke up before I could think of anything to change the subject.

"So my cousin, has a small crush on your sister." Edward gave me an easy smile, and an easy way out of this awkwardness. I smiled back, thinking that Jasper has had only a few conversations with Alice. He couldn't really know her yet… besides they were kind of related.

"Really?" I asked, studying Edward to make sure he wasn't joking.

"Seriously, she is his type, but I don't think he'll act on it," He gave a crooked smile."They are step-sibling cousins, that's rather strange." I sighed, thinking that liking your dead step-cousin sibling was weirder, although I wouldn't really call this a crush, but it was heading in that direction. I needed to stop that before it went too far. _Seriously._

We joked and laughed about easy things for the next hour, before Carlisle came home with that ostentatious gift for Alice and me.

.

No.

Absolutely not.

My sister squealed, jumping up and down; bring my arm with her since she refused to let me go. She had just threatened me a moment ago, something about not running away. It all made sense now; I should have realized what was going on. With Esme and her constant tense looks as I was dragged downstairs by Alice, the blatant refusal on Rosalie's part to take us to school during our family dinner, it all came together in a big bright yellow bundle.

A bright yellow 911 Porsche, kind of bundle.

The name was supposed to mean something to me, I'm sure. All I could see were dollar signs rushing through my head. I'd have to do some research later and see how much these cars went for. Even Rose seemed interested, I didn't know her well, but her usually livid expression was just mild frustration now. That had to be some kind of improvement. Jasper was standing next to Carlisle, and Edward right next to Esme, who was hovering and anxious.

"What's the problem?" Edward asked me. I glowered under my lashes and I swear he mumbled something about 'Alice warning him about this time of the month.' Oh god, but I didn't have time to feel my mortification because I was jolted forward, Alice somehow had acquired the keys and with my arm firmly attached to hers, I went where she went.

"THIS IS GREAT!" Alice mused squeezing my hand extra hard as she propelled me forward as she splayed herself across the hood of the car, our new car.

"Yes, thank you," I blushed, attempted to look at Carlisle as I felt ridiculously unworthy and ungrateful. I saw Esme smile at me, encouraging me to be happy about this. I felt like I was disappointing them by not being more ecstatic, but I didn't think I deserved a Porsche. I wasn't born into privilege, they were, Edward had been.

Edward was staring at me again, he looked more concerned than anything. I compared myself to him at that moment. How plain I am, while Edward was gorgeous in all aspects, born with a silver spoon in his mouth and one for backup beside his gold rattle. Alice twirled me around the car with her as I continued to meet Edward's eyes. The only thing special about me is that I could see him. It was the only reason he was hanging around me now, or sought me out in the first place. Our easy conversation earlier still made me smile, but he would have to move on. Even in life we belonged in different worlds. I was a simple cop's daughter. He had to move on. That is what I needed to focus on, not about his mind reading, not about this car or this weird solid ghost that either is following me, or will in the future. I could handle myself, and if Edward was really my friend, I needed to help him do what is right.

"We're going to drive it!" Alice called pulling and then pushing me into the passenger seat. Edward stepped forward, uncertain if he should come or not. I sat, pulling the door closed before he could take three steps in my direction and pulling my seat belt over my chest just as Alice climbed into the driver's seat. I didn't take my eyes off Edward as we pulled out, and he became smaller and smaller down our crazy-long driveway with the rest of my family, new and old.

"How amazing, right?" Alice mused "We can go to the mall any time we want! This absolutely makes up for it being a two hour drive! We are so going school clothes shopping tomorrow! Meme practically already said yes." Her grin spread wide for another mile before she sighed and turned to me.

"Spill Belly, and when we get into town, I'll drop you off at the library." I sighed with relief, glad that I could get some alone time. I needed some quiet, and the library was the place for quiet.

"I've never been selfish before… and I don't know how to handle it," I told her, my eyes filling momentarily while I shifted through all the confusion. "Hell Alice, why couldn't I like a normal guy? One who is actually in my league, and alive! I mean, the only reason he even notices me is because I'm the only one that _can _notice him. God, Alice, I need to help him move on, and for the first time ever I don't want too! I've never had a friend outside of you and… well, I never thought I would since I'm borderline crazy and all."

We pulled into the library's parking lot just as I pulled myself together. I really should have paid attention to how Alice got here from our house; it had happened really fast, had she been super speeding? I did want to know what other things were in this tiny town, but I was having a rather emotional day and couldn't pay attention.

"Bella, although this will sound cliché and all, friends come in all shapes and sizes. You will do the right thing and help him move on, hopefully before you get too attached. I'll always be here for you, and I really don't think you are selfish for liking a guy you shouldn't. Stop beating yourself up for nothing. You are ridiculously unselfish and giving, hell you don't even want to stay in this car because it makes you feel even worse, so go. Get your head on straight and stop freaking out, change can be good."

My car door unlocked and the message was loud and clear. I smiled at Alice, knowing she was getting rid of my negativity so she could freak about her car. I was raining on her Porsche parade. "Drive safe, and thanks." I was glad Alice had forced me to take my purse along. I climbed out, checking my phone for the time as I pushed the doors open. It was six thirty, and the library closed at nine.

I went to the front desk first, I was second in line, behind a powder scented old lady with a bunch of romance novels. The young woman behind the desk was patient with her, and I took the time to look around. Everything was on the same floor, and the entrance was a standard library entrance with glass doors, a few stairs, tile floors, cheap local art on the walls, and the building itself being a historical figure to the city -well that's what the small rectangle award engraving on the wall said. There seemed to be three rooms, unless the basement had something but since the door wasn't labeled, I didn't think so.

The first room I knew was the kids section, since the room was decorated with colorful fish hanging from the ceiling and there were tiny plastic chairs in view. The second room, to the right had computers and there were a few other kids my age surrounding the center monitor.

The third is where I will be spending all my time. It was larger than the others, and I could make out a few study tables and lots of bookshelves. I know I now have a personal library, but there was something about being in a public one that comforted me. Maybe it was the paperback book smell, or the hushed voices, but I had to think it was all about the atmosphere, a combination of everything.

"Excuse me," The girl at the desk huffed, "can I help you sometime today, please?" I turned toward the blonde, long nailed, overly painted girl behind the desk. I smiled and stepped forward, but I refused to apologize since she had been mean to me.

"I'd like a library card," She sighed, her blue eyes narrowing as she pushed some of her locks behind her ear. As she opened a drawer to her desk I noticed her name tag, it read 'Lauren', and I made note. I've never had to start over before, there were a lot of pluses, like leaving behind my, and Alice's, reputation, but some of the negatives were not knowing anyone and having to weed through the rather nasty people to find a nice one.

Lauren was a nasty one. She slid a piece of paper in my direction, her nails stretched across the top blatantly showing me that they were done professionally. I bit my nails, but trust me, I was not envious. I grabbed a pen and filled out the information, putting down my newly memorized address and cell phone number. As she entered in my information, she gasped slightly and spun to face me.

"Oh god, I'm really sorry," She told me, her face changing from distain to a form of contrition. "I've just been totally, completely stressed out, with my boyfriend in a coma and all, but you know about that." I stared at her like she's lost her flippin' mind. Why in the hell did she do a 360 and think I knew about her boyfriend? "I'm Lauren, it's nice to meet you Isabella, and you are so invited to sit at my table at lunch when school starts." She filled out an orange colored library card, typing in the number as she rambled about how awful it had been for Victoria's boy to pass on so young. I didn't listen and slowly started to rotate toward the room I'd been exploring. This girl was crazy, I had no idea what she was talking about and various disorders started to go through my head. Maybe she was bipolar or that schizoid personality disorder, since she didn't seem responsive to my social cues that I wasn't interested.

"Jessica and the other's are in the Computer lab, I'll introduce you, they're all like, really cool. There is no need to be shy, word travels rather fast in this town. So did Dr. Cullen adopt you? I wish he adopted me, it would have made dating-"

CRACK, the crash from the computer lab interrupted her; she handed over my library card –finally- as she cursed. Lauren ushered me forward, rushing around the desk to reach the computer lab as a round of laughs erupted from that area.

"I work here! Do you want me to get bitched at for this? God guys! I give you extra internet time, shouldn't that-" Lauren could talk for miles. I tucked away my library card, peering into the room for a quick glance before I take off to where I'd really like to be. The room had four kids my age, two girls and two boys. I recognized one of each, Jessica and Mike from Alice's visions. I didn't pay much attention to the other two as I backed out; almost jogging into the other room, thinking it might help keep Mike from getting his head smashed into a locker the longer I stayed away from the guy.

I jogged in, turning to my right, looking behind me to make sure Lauren wasn't chasing me down to introduce me, or tell me another story about people in this town I had no interest in. I turned back just in time to realize I was in route of a head on collision with another library worker my age. We smacked heads, both dropping down on our back sides, she yelped and I groaned, clutching my head. The cart filled with books that needed shelved tipped and spilled across the floor.

"I'm sorry… I wasn't… looking where I was going," The girl shook her head, maybe because it hurt and she wanted it to stop pounding, or she was alright and was letting me know it was fine. She had brown hair, natural chestnut, Alice would call it. She was pretty, and she had the kind of face that didn't need makeup, Alice had said the same about me, but I didn't listen to her when it came to me. Alice was biased because we are related, trust me.

"It happens more than you'd think," The girl looked tired, and I helped her up before starting to collect the spilled books. The noise from the computer lab covered up our incident and I was glad Lauren didn't come in here to yell at us too. "What were you running from?" She asked, as she placed a small stack of books back on the now upright cart.

"Isabella?" Lauren called, and I flinched. The girl I had knocked over smiled as she caught my eye before she grabbed my hand, pulled me behind her and pointed to the crevice between the two rear facing bookshelves. My savior put her finger to her lips and silently shushed me as she picked up the last book and positioned herself like she was working. I did as she said, tucking myself into the space between the shelves looking at her. She saw my head sticking out and violently motioned for me to get my head inside, to be unseen.

"Hey, did you see a girl come in here? She's new and I wanted to introduce her," Lauren's sickly sweet voice made me cringe. It wasn't what she said it was how she said it. Lauren's tone of voice clearly said 'Bitch' with a capital B. She had been nasty to me when we first met, but that was nothing compared to this.

"Oh, are you actually talking to lowly old me?" The girl replied, and just then Edward stepped in my line of sight, I flinched, hitting my elbow on the metal just as Lauren insulted the girl's clothes and insinuated that she was too poor to be a bother. Lauren was hissing quietly so it was hard to make out. I glared at Edward, as I rubbed my elbow to get it to stop stinging.

"Welcome to the land of the money-suckers," Edward told me, apologizing for scaring me and looking over at the two girls now yelling it out. "Get used to it, they've found out that you are related to Dr. Cullen, and they will all want a piece." He sighed shaking his head, "I found out the hard why, just how low and money hungry these damn vultures can be." I opened my mouth to reply when I heard Laurens exasperated long groan before a thud of metal on linoleum and the familiar sound of books sliding across the floor. I peeked out as Laurens steps got further and further away.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly to Edward, as I took in the scene. The cart was tipped over again, the books we had just picked up, scattered across the floor. Damn, I didn't like Lauren already. Why would she make more work for this girl? I wish I would have been able to hear what all she had said to her.

"It hurt to be away from you," Edward told me as I stepped out from my hiding place. I didn't dare look at him, not after what he just said. I paused mid-stride, was it physical pain? Or did he just want to be with me… No, it had to be the weird ghost trailing sense thing or something. Maybe he was supposed to stop the can-touch-things ghost? I shook my head; I was just making up reasons to keep him here. I ignored him and knelt down by the cart.

"Well, at least I know why you were running," The girl said as she I started to help pick the books up, again. She didn't seem too upset, maybe a teensy bit shaking, but she was holding up a lot better than I would have been able too.

"Yeah, she's… awful," I told her, as I took the side handle and flipped the cart up before adding the pile of books I had onto the top shelf.

"I'm Angela," The girl said holding out her hand, I took it a moment too slow, making it awkward as I told her to call me Bella. I blushed as we fell into silence.

"I couldn't hear all that she said… but, I'm sorry, and thank you for saving me," I told her after the cart was restored for a second time.

"I'm used to it. So I'm guessing you are new, I haven't seen you around before," Angela said, she didn't pose it as a question but I filled in the blanks anyways, after taking a moment to listen to Edward. He had moved off to my left, sitting on one of the tables and swinging his legs.

"Don't get involved with her either. Lauren's a bitch, but Angela is a Witch. See that pentagram around her neck, she freaks everyone out, she's in the library's uniform now, but usually she's in black." I took a second to glare at Edward before continuing.

"Yeah, my sister and I just moved here with our mother." I left out the whole, Dr. Cullen-is-my-new-step-father-so-I'm-filthy-rich-now part. My phone buzzed in my purse, and I dug around in it as Angela gave me a timid smile.

"Lauren just informed me rather harshly that you are Dr. Cullen's newest." I flinched at her words just as I grabbed my vibrating phone. "I don't care, well not really, I'm sorry about what happened to your family, but what I mean is, I don't care how much money you have, even if everyone else in this town does." I groaned. I was _not _used to this. When I've spoken to people in the past, we never mentioned how much our parents made or categorized people by their wealth.

Seriously, welcome to the land of the rich and the insane. Which go hand and hand, apparently.

"Here, your friends are directly correlated to how big your bank is," Angela told me, putting away another book. "So I'll never see you again." I didn't know how to respond, so I checked my text message to give me some time. It was from Alice of course, and she told me she was on her way. I helped Angela by pulling the cart she had in her direction as she walked down the aisle reading the numbers as she went.

"Once people find out who I'm related too, will people always do this? Either push me away before they know me or chase me around?" I had asked Angela but I heard Edward call after me with a yelled 'Get used to it.'

"Sorry, I'm not used to… well, rich bitches not being bitches. Or anyone for that matter in this backwash town," She shook her head, and I did notice the symbol around her neck. Alice and I had watched a documentary on Wicca, and people made it out to be far worse than it was. It was a peaceful earth based religion where its followers focused on sending positive energy out in the world.

"Because of your religion?" I asked, and Angela turned to me, her shoulders back, ready to take whatever it is I was going to dish out to her. She was expecting insults. Man this town really did a number on her; I hoped it wouldn't do the same to Alice and me.

"How about this," I asked slightly as I eyed her nervously. This was the weirdest little town I'd ever been in. "Just because my new step dad is rich, doesn't make me a bitch, and just because you're a Wiccan, doesn't make you any less of a person." I held my hand out to shake a second time, and after a moment, she did take it, "besides, us weirdo's need to stick together." I winked as I let out a small laugh of relief.

"Sorry. I didn't mean… well, I'm just so used to the segregation around here." I shrugged as we let our hands drop, "So what makes you a weirdo?" Angela asked as she grabbed another book from the cart, walking at my pace as I helped her with the cart. Edward followed this time since I'd moved out of his line of sight.

"Did she want an essay with that question?" Edward joked, implying that my weirdness needed pages to explain. I gave him a quick glare before turning back to Angela. I really didn't know what to tell her. Not the truth, that's for sure.

"I believe in the supernatural… Ghosts, future telling, mind reading… you know, all the impossible shit that no one wants to talk about." Angela laughed, nodding her head in agreement. "My sister too, she's on her way, so you'll get to meet her too, if that's alright."

"Of course, does she believe like you?" I chucked, she had no idea. I nodded my head as Edward rolled his eyes so I would see him do it.

"You are creating a reputation for yourself," Edward shook his head from side to side, warning me about the future of my high school career. Of course, he had no idea about where I came from, and anything was better than that. Alice and I could handle anything stupid high school teens did at this point, including the weird suck up sessions by others our age because of our new social economic status.

"Well I have to switch with Lauren and close up," Angela said, looking over her watch and sighing. "It was nice meeting you, and I'd like to meet your sister if she gets here before I leave. See you around." I watched her go before I turned to Edward.

"What do you mean it hurts to be away from me? And… Why would you prefer Lauren to Angela? Wiccan's are a peaceful people and Lauren is awful, anything but peaceful!" I hissed my voice to keep it low and walked down the aisle, getting acquainted with how this library was set up and organized.

"I don't know… It was just uncomfortable at first, but then it was a pull… not like a physical one, just like a sense of what direction I should go in, the direction you were in. Eventually it just got worse and worse before I shimmered out and appeared here with you. I do that sometimes," He shrugged his shoulders, catching up to walk along side me as I turned down the fantasy/fiction aisle.

"And… Lauren's a bitch," I reminded him, and he sighed.

"Trust me, I know," He relented, running his hand through his hair, making his already wild bronze hair even wilder. I eyed him for a moment, wondering what history they could have had, or if they had any. "Stop looking at me like that… It was a onetime thing, and I figured it out a little too late that she is a money hungry succubus." I snorted, rolling my eyes at his frantic expression.

"Succubus? Who says that?" At least I knew that Lauren and Edward had a thing once, I started reading the book titles facing away from Edward to hide my jealousy. Was Lauren Edward's 'type', unnatural blonde hair and expensive nails? The 'I'm better than you' attitude paired with being born with money? Lauren got to know Edward while he was alive. They probably kissed… and although Edward probably didn't want to, I didn't have the option of kissing Edward. He was dead.

And that's why I needed to help him move on. I shook my head as I flipped to the adjacent book shelf to read those titles. Stop liking Edward, and start helping him! I had to push away these feelings and focus on what needed to be done!

"So you aren't… upset?" Edward asked, stepping half way into the book shelf to stand in front of me. He was a ghost after all, even though he looked solid.

"I feel sorry for you. She's nasty," I wasn't really lying, I just avoided the question. I stepped aside and Edward followed blocking me from reading the next section of books I might have liked something from. "Okay, I kind of wish I got to know you before now. I'm a bit jealous that she got to… touch you." My cheeks burned and he was going to say something back but I was saved by my sister. I could have kissed her in that moment.

"Let's go," Alice called, using her stern voice that made me jolt into action before I could think about her request. She waited for me to catch up and we walked briskly together toward the back. "That girl you met needs a ride home." The way she said it, the harsh steps she was taking and the expression on her face made a chill run down my spine.

"I didn't…" I felt my throat tighten, "I didn't put her in danger did I?" Since I skipped over meeting Mike, had meeting Angela switched their places? I needed to take this threat more serious. Alice froze, her steps halting before she twisted her neck to look at me.

"No Belly," she smiled, some of the light shinning back into her eyes, "that Lauren girl is planning some nasty shit, and she would have used you in her plans if she got you alone today. The back door is easier and we'll run into Angela."

"Does Alice miss anything?" Edward asked, following me as close as he could. I gave him a quick shake of the head, wondering what Alice could have seen about Lauren. What could she have possibly done to me that would further her plans? What were those plans?

"We're going to be great friends, Angela and us," Alice chimed making Edward's brows come together as we snuck out the back of the library. The door said it was alarmed, but nothing happened as we stepped out.

Witches, ghosts, prophetic sisters, I was definitely starting my new year with a weird set of friends. I'd never escape my reputation.


	6. Chapter 6

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers is the rightful and only owner of Twilight, I am simply puppet-showing her characters for you here. Who doesn't love a puppet show?

A/N: My Beta is awesome.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."  
-Mahatma Gandhi

Chapter Six:

I stretched, my neck was stiff but it was a small price to pay for actually sleeping a full night. I flipped on my back, tucking my blankets in around me to keep me warm for a moment longer. Maybe I could sleep for a couple more minutes? I blinked, the room still dark, although the sun was just starting to wake itself, casting an eerie glow. Something caught my eye, a man, and I jolted into a sitting position, bringing my blanket with me.

Edward was standing at the end of my bed, watching me. I let out a sigh, _creepy much?_

"You scared the bejeezus out of me," I panted, any thought of relaxing and drifting off again passed when my adrenaline spiked. "You couldn't sit down or stand off to the side or something? Did you watch me like that all night?" I studied him; his hair was extra chaotic, meaning he'd been rubbing his hand through it more than usual. His eyes were dark, and his forehead was wrinkled from his hairline to his eyebrows. Something was wrong.

"No, I, uh… Kind-of," Edward admitted, turning his head to look out the window, avoiding my concerned gaze. He looked different, I couldn't put my finger on it, but something wasn't right. It couldn't just be his posture that was making him look so… off, could it?

"What's wrong?" I dropped the blanket, and crawled over on my hands and knees. Edward didn't turn; he just stayed staring as he answered.

"Your sister had a nightmare," Edward admitted, "She's downstairs with Jasper." I winced; his mind reading abilities must really take a toll on him. Alice was probably freaking out right now.

"How far can you… hear?" I asked, knowing he knew what I meant. I mean, did he actually hear thoughts or did he just know what others were thinking around him? Maybe he could block some or dive into others when he wanted too; I would ask him later when he didn't look so… tired. Ghosts don't sleep, by the way, so looking tired is emotional for him.

"It depends on… I guess how strong the thought is. Usually it's if I'm in the same room I can hear whatever is going on in their head. I always skipped lunch period." I nodded up at his tense face, still turned away from me. Was Alice's nightmare the only thing making him so anxious? It must have been a bad one if he was reacting so. I needed to be there for Alice, I wish I could really be there for Edward too.

"I wish I could hug you," I whispered, avoiding looking in his direction, climbing out of bed and heading toward the bathroom.

"Me too," I heard him say softly as I shut the door, my feet cold on the tile. He was forbidden from the bathroom, so I was safe from peering eyes here. I cleaned up and brushed my hair, thinking about how lucky and unlucky I was to have this gift instead of Edward's or Alice's. I would rather have no gift, but if I had to pick… I think it is a lot harder to have one of theirs.

Alice had the hardest time hiding what she knew, especially if she wanted to intervene. To see what she has seen, to have to watch it happen or give herself away to protect someone, just to have the person she saved get freaked out. Or, know in advance something horrible was going to happen, and do nothing because the alternative would be far worse. To see something she couldn't stop, but had to know, or see someone's death, to feel them die, only to stop it from happening, but having to experience it anyways. I shuttered. Pitying her would just piss her off.

Then Edward, he'd have to keep what he actually hears, and what a person says separated. He could tell if someone was lying and having a relationship would suck. There would be no secrets around Edward, everything that person thinks is private, isn't. How Lauren and Edward had a thing is beyond me, although I did get the impression she didn't do much thinking, and they didn't do much talking. _Gag me, please_.

I left my pajamas on, rubbing my eyes as I stepped out of the bathroom. Edward hadn't moved, his face as tense as ever. I wondered for a moment if ghosts could get permanent wrinkles. He gestured toward the door, I did as he wished, not sure how to handle Edward's current mood.

"Will you tell me what Alice had seen?" I asked timidly, almost feeling like I am betraying Alice by asking for her visions without her knowledge. I didn't want Edward to feel like he had to tell me what he heard, either. I guess there was some kind of edict when it came to the gifted. Alice never asked me about my ghost experiences unless they were crucial to her visions, the same should go with Edward. There were secrets that should be kept that way, I didn't want to use him.

Edward didn't answer until I was half way to the kitchen, he didn't walk beside me and his voice was dull and distracted. "Just the usual flying objects," He muttered as I took the last step down the stairs. My bare foot caught something sharp, slicing into the pad of my foot and I winced as I pulled back.

"Crap monkeys!" I cursed, gripping onto the railing before taking a seat on the step behind me. I brought my foot up on my knee leaving a trail of blood before putting pressure on the slice as I looking around for whatever redecorating/unpacking tool Alice or Meme left laying around. I didn't see anything.

"Let me see," Edward stepped around me, the one good thing about this, was Edward snapped back into himself. He started to reach for me before he cursed himself, remember he couldn't do anything for me now. "Hey, at least I can talk you through it, right?" His eyes darkened, before asking if I was alright, and how the hell I managed to slice open my foot on carpet.

"Is Carlisle still here?" I asked ignoring his remarks, blood dripping onto the carpet after escaping from my hand. I spotted the sharp object responsible and my eye brows rose. _What in the hell?_ "Why would…"

"Who are you talking- What the hell happened to you?" Jasper asked, taking long strides from the living room to me. "Alice, grab some towels," He howled loud enough to be heard in the kitchen, but not to wake up everyone in this massive house.

Jasper started to kneel before I put my non-bloody hand out, stopping him. "I cut myself on something down there, be careful," I'd seen it, and I knew what it was, I just wanted someone else to grab it, someone else to try and figure out how it ended up here where everyone passed with bare feet.

"Just give me your foot; Carlisle has trained us in first aid," I let him take my foot as Alice came around the bend, tear stains on her cheek before she even knew what the hell was going on. She had seen something awful. I pulled my foot back, gripping the rail to pull myself up and onward. Edward stepped forward like he could help me walk, but stepped back and ran his hand through his hair, falling back into the distant Edward again. Jasper took Edward's place unknowingly, gripping my elbow as I hopped the rest of the way down.

I stopped in front of Alice; she was stunned staring past me to the railing as I pulled her into a hug, balancing myself on one leg. I couldn't hug Edward, but I could hug my sister. She didn't respond right away, but her shoulders shook, and her tiny arms went around my waist, her hand gripping the back of my shirt. I got blood on her pajamas but she didn't seem to mind as she cried onto my shoulder.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you're bleeding everywhere. I need to bandage that or we might have to get you to a hospital," Jasper called, standing closer to us than I realized. Edward hung back, he knew he was useless right now, and he was still recovering along with Alice. She pulled back from my arms as Jasper flipped my elbow around his neck, hopping across the floor was more impractical than hopping down the stairs. "I'm carrying you," Jasper warned a split second before he had me bridal style. I blushed, looking back at Edward.

Alice pushed the doors open as I dripped blood from the stairs to the kitchen. My foot leaving a smudge on the door frame as it grazed against it. The towels in Alice's hands were forgotten until Jasper sat me on the counter. She handed them over as Jasper picked my foot up again, Edward mimicked his position looking it over with him.

"You won't need stitches." Edward said, as Jasper told Alice to hold the towel to my foot as he grabbed the first aid kit. "It should have been me, you know?" Edward said, and I waited until Jasper was out of the room before responding.

"You should have gotten cut? No, Edward, I'm just clumsy, pair that with bad luck and I'm in for a world of-" He cut me off, Alice still holding the towel, tears streaming down her face.

"No, I should have been the one carrying you. I should be the one bandaging you now." I froze, absorbing what he said. Was he jealous that Jasper can touch me now, the same way I had been jealous that Lauren got to touch him in the past? I shivered, closing my eyes and hanging my head, Edward and I did have something going on, didn't we? Alice started to explain.

"I had a vision of all this blood, of your bloody handprint on the railing, of you lying in the middle of the entrance way with a knife in your chest," She sniffled, bringing her free arm to rub across her running nose. "I looked everywhere around the steps; I even boxed up all the kitchen knives as soon as I woke up." I noticed then that the knife drawer was open, and the packing tape was on the counter. "It didn't clear up though. I never got the secondary vision that showed me the new future, not until now." Her shoulders bobbed, her head hanging as Jasper re-entered the room.

"You'll be fine… for now, anyways," Edward finished for Alice, looking far less tense than he had when I had first woken up.

"Alice, everything will be fine," I told her as Jasper took over for her. She stood off to the side, the blood on the floor her main focus before she jolted into action. Grabbing a bucket of cold water, a towel and some spray cleaner.

"She's going to attempt to get the blood out of the carpet before it's ruined. Your mother had plans to keep the carpet," I groaned as Edward told me Alice's thought. Just one more thing I ruined for Meme.

"Does it hurt?" Jasper asked, a bit confused but really focused. He had disinfected the wound, and was starting to butterfly bandage the cut already.

"Naw, it went numb pretty much right after it happened," I flinched as Jasper touched a more sensitive part, he snorted, telling me he didn't believe that it had gone numb. "Thanks for this, by the way." Edward leaned against the counter beside me, giving me a reassuring smile. They had been really stressed about the vision with my… death.

Shit, I was supposed to die today?

"No problem," Jasper replied as the kitchen swinging half doors were pushed open with too much force. All three of us looked in that direction shocked at the loud noise when it had been so quiet. Meme rushed toward me, her momma bear attitude out and showing as she checked me over. Every speckle of blood that had ended up on my clothes, hands or face, she touched before she finally bent down to Jasper level and checked out my only wound.

"I'm so glad you're alright… There was so much blood and Alice was hysterical…" Meme's shoulders dropped, some of the tension in her frame dissipating as she let out a sigh. She leaned over the counter and wrapped her arm around me. Meme pulled back, taking her free hand to brush a strand of my hair out of my face."Do you want me to take you to Carlisle?" I shook my head as I answered.

"That's quite alright, I have Dr. Jasper here, and he's done a mighty fine job, if I do say so myself." Edward sighed softly off to the right, behind Meme, since she had unknowingly moved into his spot; he got out of the way in time to not be walked through. I imagined he found that rude.

"I think you should go to the hospital," Edward added, stepping away from the counter to look at me from over Jaspers head. I met his eyes for a moment, Meme noticed, looking where I looked and meeting me eyes with her eyebrows arched. I shrugged.

"It's not that serious," That one phrase answered Edward and Meme's asked question and Meme's unasked one, all in one. I felt bad keeping Meme out of the loop with Edward, but I didn't think she could keep it from Carlisle, and that would just be a really awkward conversation. Who wants to know that their nephew didn't move on, and might, if he didn't hurry his hot ass up, be stuck here for all eternity?

Yes, Edward has a hot ass. No, I can't touch it.

"Well I'd feel more comfortable if you went," Meme chimed with her voice low with concern, maybe because of all the blood, but more likely because she knew I had a ghost around me. I shrugged, brushing her off.

"Its fine, we can just wait until Carlisle gets home," I sighed, I was about to pull an Alice card, knowing this was the first, and most likely last time I would ever say or agree to this. I wanted Meme to drop this, Alice needed it badly, and if Meme is invited, she could relax about this… "Besides, Alice and I are supposed to go school shopping. We can make it a girls shopping trip, if you want… or if everyone wants to go…" Jasper groaned and I turned to him in response.

"He just got the wrong impression of you and Alice. He assumes you are going to 'break the bank'. I mean, you did just get your credit cards yesterday," Edward filled me in. I guess there were perks to having a personal mind reader. I sighed and hung my head.

"You know what… That might be a good family bonding event," Meme elaborated after giving me a surprised look. I'm sure wanting to go shopping was the last thing she expected me to say –ever-, but one look at Alice and Meme would understand. She must have forgotten how upset and hysterical Alice is/had been.

"It was a knife," Alice said from the doorway. Jasper was wrapping gauze around my foot and Meme had her hand on her chin, really thinking about school shopping as a family bonding opportunity. Alice was staring into me as she stepped forward. "Who would put a butter-knife on the floor like that? It was wedged into the carpet upright, like it was intentionally there for someone to cut themselves on."

I had seen what it had been, I just didn't want Esme to think that someone here had done it. Edward pushed his hair back, changing who he was looking at every couple of seconds. "Meme thinks it was an accident, Jasper things it might have been Rosalie, but he doesn't really believe it. She might be a bitch, but she wouldn't cut anyone. Alice is right, though. It was James."

Who in the hell is James? I wished I had a secret way to talk to Edward now, I wished he could read the thoughts I let him read, or that everyone else would just go away on cue and come back when I said what I needed to say. Edward knew something about what was going on around here. He knew this violent ghost that Alice kept trying to see so she could stop him. How had she seen the ghost knife attack? Unless it was just her seeing the after scene and not the actual attack… for real, fug' my life.

Give me a break, cursing is lame.

"I don't think it was intentional," Meme said."It probably just fell like that, the carpet is shaggy, it was probably just hard to find and then forgotten about. No one deliberately hurt Bella; you know if there was something for her to hurt herself on, she would find it." I half listened as Meme confessed how clumsy I am.

Edward knew what I was thinking, well not really. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know I was curious about this ghost he knew, James. Had he just figured it out? Had there been more to his strange mood this morning that just Alice's dream? Had he stopped James last night? Is that why the knife was there? Had Alice hid the other knives before this ghost could reach them and settled for a butter knife? What the H.-E.-double-hockey-sticks is going on? And… why the crap is this happening to me?

"It was an accident," I confirmed, giving Alice a little nod to let her know I got the pretty obvious message. Give her a break too, she was off her game, she witnessed my death, and didn't receive the confirmation vision until later that she had stopped it. Well, I'm assuming that's how it works and everything. "Did the blood come out okay?" I hoped it did, I didn't want to think about how much it would cost to replace the carpet.

"Don't worry about that dear," Meme cooed effectively answering my question. No, it wasn't going to come out. Well, just wonderful. Alice cleaned up the bucket and bloody rag just as Jasper finished up tying me up.

"Let's see if you can walk alright," Jasper declared and Edward started to look like he was uncomfortable again. Jasper helped me down on my good foot before I took a couple steps toward Edward.

"I think I'll be fine. I'll just wear slip on shoes." Since Alice didn't give me an exasperated 'are you sure we're related' look, I knew she wasn't feeling any better. "Besides, Alice can't be stopped when she shops for me, I won't need to do much." Alice gave me a sad, but grateful, smile, knowing I was trying to get her back to her normal, happy self.

"Come on Belly, I'll help you upstairs, we can change for our shopping day while Meme wakes everyone up. I'll even do your make-up and hair." Her eyes shined with mischief, but here smile still wasn't right. I chuckled despite Alice not quite being right, of course she would use this to her advantage. We were half way out of the kitchen before I paused turning back to Jasper.

"Alice and I have our own money. Our dad left us rather well off. I try to limit Alice, but she has too much fun with clothes and she needs some retail therapy. She's having a bad day," I was staring at Jasper, and I was using his little crush on Alice to our advantage. I didn't want Jasper to get a bad impression of us, or to think that we were just as money greedy as the other girls in this town, namely, Lauren.

"Bella, I'm sure Jasper never thought anything like that about you girls!" Meme defended, while putting a hand on his shoulder. She licked her bottom lip, the tell-tale sign that she was upset with me. Edward laughed; he would be the one that knew what Jasper had been thinking.

"Right, _I _wouldn't know what he was thinking," I told her, saying sorry with my smile. Jasper tilted his head to the side his eyes growing tighter. Damn, I probably shouldn't have said that.

"Just go," Edward said; his easy smile on his face as he motioned me to move my bottom. I smiled at him before moving with Alice's help. She shook her head at me, and when we reached the stairs, Alice chided me.

"You really shouldn't have said that." The blood was faded to a tan-pink, there was no way of saving the carpet. Damn whoever James is, if he is actually responsible for the butter knife.

"Although it was comical," Edward added, bringing me back to the conversation. We were alone enough, so I glared at Edward over Alice's head.

"You know something. Who is James? Why didn't you tell me?" Edward flinched, but continued to follow us as we walked down the hall. Alice turned her head slightly in my direction. She wanted to hear what he had to say, but had to rely on me to reiterate it.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, looking off from my gaze. I could walk alright, but I held on to Alice because she needed me too, not the other way around. We were in our room with the door closed before Edward answered me, and since he was taking longer than normal, I thought he was just going to ignore me. "He's my brother."

"Brother?" my voice squeaked, that's how shocked I am. I guided Alice to sit on my bed, squeezing in next to her as I took her hand and she leaned against my shoulder for support. "So you had two brothers, one is Emmett and the other is James, who is also dead, and who you think is the violent ghost? Why do you think that?" Alice listened to as much as she could as she started to pull herself together.

"Emmett and I are half brothers, I'm my father's only real son, we are ten months apart, but our father brought James home when we were around four, and he became the middle child after they adopted him. It was fine until he started to remember these weird… rather invasive medical treatments he had received as a child," Edward shook his head. "He knew what I could do, everyone knew, but some people think they can still… I don't know, block me or hide things. James was one of them who thought he could 'out think' me."

"Wait…" He had stopped on his own, but I wanted to fill Alice in. She was the one tuning into the random ghost decisions; she needed to know everything she could. Alice just gave me the standard confirmation head. I hated when she got like this. "Okay, so James tried to hide things from you that you thought you should know?"

"I found out in the end, but it was too late, and he did this to me. James was the one that killed my, and Emmett's, parents. He intentionally started that fire, he was gifted, tested on and what not because of it. I'm sure that since my father had been involved it had to do with the other members of their secret society too. He'd only been a child, but it scarred him, he was mad at everyone involved, including the man who got him out of there, my father." I shook my head in disbelief, James had killed Edward because he found out his role in their parents death, and the weird medical treatments he had? Wait! So they had been experimenting on the gifted! I updated Alice, and she gave me the same response, a blank single head nod.

"When he knew I had found out, he tried to get me to join him. He wanted to take down anyone involved, including Carlisle. He said he had talked to my father about it, and knew that I had been… twisted, genetically so I would be born with a gift. He wanted me to be as pissed about it as he was. He wanted us to be a renegade team of trackers that took out everyone involved," Edward pushed his hair back, his eyes dark as he paced a foot away from the end of my bed. This had to be hard to talk about. Everything about him was strained. "That was his gift, he could find people. Only, I knew he was crazy, I couldn't join him in his killing spree and I wasn't going to let him get away with killing my parents!" He paused, looking out the window again, his face tense.

I shuddered.

"Lauren and I had gotten into a little fight. It had been the third time we'd hung out, and it was a double date with James and his girlfriend Victoria. We hadn't spoken the first two times, Lauren and I, I mean. I wanted to get to know her, to listen to her and know how she thought, know what she thought about. I figured the only way that would happen is if she couldn't jump me." He chuckled humorlessly, his eyes flashing to me, as if to apologize that he was talking about Lauren in the first place. He continued after I told Alice what he had said.

"She still attacked me. It ended up being a weird double make out session, but I didn't want to do anything in front of my brother. I just wanted to talk to her. When I told her, she flipped out. Telling me she knew how to keep a man, and talking wasn't it," Edward sighed. "I made James drive me home, since we came together in his car and I found out on the drive home. He flipped the car, killing himself in the process of trying to take me down." I didn't comment on him thinking he was still alive this time, he was confiding in me.

"I know it was James, because I can still hear him when he is close. He doesn't want me to know what he's thinking. It's why he stays away. He wants you, I think because he knows you can see him, and because of me; because we're friends now. It was him at dinner, when you first arrived. I've stayed this way, in this form, to stop him from killing Carlisle or anyone else in my family. I know he can touch and move things, because I've seen him do it," Edward bore into my eyes, and I couldn't look away.

Holy crap monkey's on a stick. Could this get any more in depth?

"I didn't mean for this to happen. I like you alive and this is happening to you because of me." We didn't break our gaze; Alice was patient with me, or recovering little by little via becoming stoic.

"Is that why you agreed to trail me?" When Alice asked him in the bathroom, he pretty much just did it without question, even before I really knew him or had called him a 'friend'. "Did you see what Alice had seen, and knew it was your brother, that it had to be?" Edward dipped his head, still meeting my eyes. Why hadn't he told me? Just to not scare me? But he would tell me now, because of Alice's changed vision of my death… because of James?

"Well, shit," I cursed for real, knowing that if this continued, Alice was going to start losing weight that she couldn't afford too again. She stressed about so much. "It's not your fault Edward. It's alright, we can figure out a way to stop James." I filled Alice in; Edward came around to sit on my other side on the bed. It was weird that Alice made more of a dent than Edward.

"So… Emmett had two brothers?" Alice asked, her eyes shining and her face back to almost normal. "You'll be safe as long as Edward doesn't leave… I think… Did Edward have plans to leave last night while you slept? I woke right after the dream, but… how could I see anything involving Edward? If it was James, I didn't see him, or see him change his mind, he improvised with the butter knife. I can't see the dead or their decisions, but is Edward different?"

I turned to Edward, trying to figure out if Edward knew that too? I didn't know much about him, besides that he was rather funny and I liked being around him. He didn't seem different to me, just the standard ghost; only this one was newly related to me and followed me around. Why would he be different for Alice and her visions?

"I'm not dead," He sighed, "and I did plan on checking on other… things last night. Alice had her nightmare just in time to stop me. It would have been my fault that he came for you; it would have been my fault that you were killed." His eyes darkened, and the same tense look he had this morning, came back.

"No, Alice," I told her in a monotone voice, not turning in her direction. "Maybe you are getting visions about me, without any decisions being made, because we are related." I reached my hand out to touch Edward's shoulder, I wanted to comfort him, but I paused, drawing my hand back. I couldn't respond to him without Alice catching on, and I couldn't turn to her or she would know something was up anyways. Alice was still leaning onto my side, her head on my shoulder; she was too out of it to realize anything was 'off' in the first place.

"Girls?" Meme called from the hall. She gave us a moment before she opened the door. She closed it behind her and eyed the position Alice and I were in on the bed. Meme wasn't dense, she knew we were keeping secrets, she knew both of us were stressed and struggling. "Alice, what did you see? And Bella, are you being haunted here?"

"A better question," Alice said, ignoring Meme's questions rather rudely, "is why are there so many family secrets?" Meme's back straightened as she shifted from studying Alice than me. She stepped forward, heading for Edward's seat on the bed. He moved just in time for Meme to sit where he had just been. Edward shook his head letting me know that Alice shouldn't have said that, or that people constantly moving where he was sitting or standing is annoying.

Esme sighed, forgetting her reason for coming in our room in the first place. She changed the subject, but felt guilty enough not to meet our eyes when she did it. "I've spoken to the others, we're going to the mall around 11. I still need to call Carlisle, he's off this weekend, but if he can come, that would be wonderful. We'll have to drive separately."

"Not if it's just us kids," I groaned as Alice spoke up again. She didn't really think when she was emotionally drained. She needed a nap, and I wrapped my arm around her waist before pulling her up. My foot was fine, I could barely feel it, and besides Alice needed this. I stumbled her over to her bed, and pulled her bunched up blankets off to the side. I laid her down, while Meme came up on the other side and tucked her in. I purposefully let enough room for me on the bed, but first, I had to deal with Meme.

"She should be feeling better after a nap, she wouldn't want to miss the mall," I told Meme to alleviate some of her worry, only Alice didn't back me up; she just stayed still opened eyed at the ceiling, unseeing and unhearing. I tried not to let Meme see how worried I really am.

"If there is anything I can help with… Please let me know. I'm here for you girls. I don't like when you two keep secrets, but you would only keep something a secret if it was important," Meme sighed, brushing Alice's hair back and giving me a sad smile. I think she was also talking about Alice and her alluding to the fact that we both knew she had secrets too. "I trust you," She told both of us. "But if it gets too much to handle, you have me, and the others to help you."

Meme bowed her head, telling us she loved me and Alice, and we replied back. Some things just couldn't be shared with the rest of the family. We'd only been here a few days and we had only seen Rose when she was summoned by Carlisle and she couldn't get out of it. Jasper is cool, and maybe we could tell him eventually but Emmett had enough on his plate. Carlisle might want to study us, so we could avoid that by omitting him… Meme is our only option, but including her wouldn't do any good besides worry her even more than she worried now.

Alice see's horrible things all the time, and she could barely handle seeing my death. Letting Meme know there was a ghost that could touch and harm people that was specifically after me because I could see him, would do nothing. Let alone, telling her I could see both of my dead step-cousin-brothers wouldn't go over well in the first place.

Damn, why couldn't my life be normal?

"We'll be down for breakfast," I only kept her gaze for a moment before turning back to Alice so Meme wouldn't notice anything off. Our mother retreated; probably feeling left out and worried. I sighed when our door closed, and Edward appeared at my side.

"She loves you both, but she struggles with herself. She feels like an outsider when she wants to be there for you and you won't let her. I don't think you should tell her, not yet anyways, but maybe when you're out, share something with her. All she wants is your happiness, and if she can try and fix a problem for you, she'll feel better," I didn't turn to Edward, I knew how Meme thought. She has been our mother for years.

"Alice?" I asked, shifting my eyes to Edward to let him know I was asking him too. He sighed, pushing his hair back. I crawled over Alice, and tucked myself into the other side of her bed. We had shared a bed for years when we were younger, and when one of us got sick or was sobbing their eyes out. We'd always stay close like this.

"I'm fine," Alice replied as Edward struggled with himself. He didn't want to tell me what was happening in Alice's head, that was alright, I could almost guess, but I'd like to know.

"I'm fine too, Alice," I told her, snuggling into her side, and draping my arm over her waist. "Edward isn't going to go anywhere, and when you nap, you'll see that everything is going to be fine now." I whispered, as Edward took a seat on the end table, the picture frame, the magazine and the alarm clock going inside of him. He was strange.

Ghosts didn't actually sit on things; they just floated while lining themselves up to the place they wanted to sit. It's weird, but since they aren't solid, sitting and standing on things didn't work. Edward met my gaze over Alice's small head.

She began to cry, she tucked herself under my chin, and I held her, almost wishing that I could call 'code Triple Chocolate Fudge', but this wasn't something Alice could share with Meme and me over a tub of ice-cream.

"Alice…" Edward began before he paused, thinking about his words. "Losing you would destroy Alice, she thinks of you as the strong one. You hold yourself together when you are surrounded by dead people, you can handle anything in her eyes, and she feels like you hold her together too. She doesn't ever want to be without you. She'd never seen your death before, she was frantic when she woke up, thinking in fragments and frantically packing up every knife she could find. She hates herself for not keeping her cool and doing something that might actually help. She spoke to me. She told me if I left you alone, she would find a way to hurt me, if she couldn't kill me," Edward shuttered. "Alice thinks that's the only thing that saved you, and she's right." I couldn't take my gaze off Edward.

Alice thought I was the strong one? Are you kidding me? Anytime anything happened around me, Alice stood up and made an excuse that explained everything. She was the mastermind, I was the follower. Hell, she was the one that held me together; Alice was the one that kept me strong! How could she not see that in herself?

We needed each other, it is a two way street.

"Thank you," I told them both, before kissing Alice's head. "Thank you for saving my life." I whispered to my sister's hair, wishing beyond anything that this would pass quickly. I needed my sister back if we were going to stop this evil ghost of ours.


	7. Chapter 7

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of Stephanie Meyer's characters; I am borrowing her genius to help expand my writing skills.

A/N: A whole day early! Reviews would bring my spirits up, I'm having a rather troubled day.

"I would imagine that if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy."  
-Mitch Hedberg

Chapter Seven:

"You have enough clothes!" I whined as Alice put yet another item in the 'to try on' pile. After her nap she snapped right back into herself, and since she was fine, I was fine, but really upset we were still shopping.

"I will never have enough clothes," Alice chimed, our step-kind-of-siblings got lost or rather, took off, the moment Carlisle gave the go ahead. It didn't turn out to be much of a family bonding trip, since we were forced to take two cars and Meme, Alice and I ended up in Meme's new car, and the Cullen's piled into Carlisle's BMW. I think it was intentional for both parents to pep talk their kids into 'being nice.' I think Meme also wanted us to have the opportunity to share with her, since Alice had been tripping out earlier.

As soon as we hit the mall doors, Alice was off, and by that I mean she dragged me along too, since, and I quote, 'You can't be trusted in your own closet so in a mall, you are next to useless.' The Cullen's attempted to keep up, and by that I mean, Rosalie bailed the moment Carlisle gave her the go ahead. Carlisle hadn't been surprised; he'd seen my sister shop before.

Now, three hours later, Emmett and Jasper were rotating between the game store and the arcade. Esme and Carlisle were sharing a coffee table with cups of coffees in front of them, and Rosalie was sleeping in one of the massage chairs next to them.

Unfortunately, Alice had acquired all of their sizes –behind their backs, I might add. She checked their purchased items in the trunk when we made our fourth 'drop off' run- and when we got home everyone would have double the bags they had picked out themselves. Alice knew how that would blow over, but she didn't seem too worried about it.

"No!" I groaned, wishing I had my driver's license on me to trade for a wheel chair because my foot has been hurting. "It's short! I can't do tight skirts; I trip over myself as it is!"

"God made leggings with you in mind, Bella," She dropped it into the same pile as the last item I said no too, and continued on. It was my job to hold Alice back, according to Meme, and I was not doing well so far. I'd made two frantic calls and have texted Esme to the point where she didn't respond anymore. Carlisle seemed alright with it, and Meme was glad that Alice was back on her feet.

"She is a world wonder," Edward told me, I made sure to check my surroundings before responding, without looking at him or acting like I was talking to anyone. He didn't have a problem standing for hours and hours, but I was grateful that he was here. I'd have risked snuggling up to Rose if it had been just me all alone with Alice, and trust me, I liked my nipples where they were, and my fingers and my other harm-able appendages.

"She should be a 'professional shopper' for celebrities. I should video tape this and send it in as her resume," Edward snorted at my comment as Alice beamed over one of the racks, having to go on her tippy toes to show me her ear to ear grin from my statement. "That so, wasn't a compliment." I groaned, shaking my head as Alice adding a dress to the 'other family members' pile.

"That best be for Esme," Edward noted, but it looked too small, and floral.

"Alice, is that for Rose?" My tone made Alice chuckle. Hell, did she want another psychopath killer to worry about? "Rose isn't going to like that... at all. You've seen her, she's a… sweats maybe a pair of jeans with an oil stained shirt, she's a tom-boy kind of girl."

"Actually Bella," Alice used her 'matter of fact' voice. "She will start enjoying being a girl right around when school starts up. She wants to start getting a particular someone's attention. She's always overlooked, and for a pretty good reason, but she will turn to me, well us, but she'll need me to actually show her how to be a girl." She rolled her eyes at my outfit as if that proved her point. "Well anyways. These are all for when that happens… Which I am in full support of and she will confide in us in less than three days. She'll need our help, since she wants to stop him from going back to all the other shanks around here. He _was_ a total whore, and he arrived here only had a month before school ended and he still hooked up with like… four others. This is from Rose and ours future conversation, just so you know." Alice picked up the 'others' pile and ordered me to pull the cart and follow her as she prattled on about getting to do real sister things with Rose. I think she wanted me to be jealous, but I was relieved that Alice would be distracted and leave me be, at least for a little while.

"Wait… A month before school ended… was being a whore." A flash of Carlisle reminding Emmett at the table the rules about having opposite sex friends over, "Dude… No way," I turned to Edward and he nodded his head affirmatively as Alice chuckled. So Edward would be my step-brother-cousin if he was alive, and I had a crush on him –yes, a full blown crush-, Jasper had a crush on Alice, his new step-sister-cousin and Rosalie wanted Emmett her adopted-cousin but now-brother?

Holy plasma guns, batman!

I absorbed as Alice went about her business. Edward and I were still different with each other. He had kept some pretty harsh secrets from me, when I'd been open with him. I wasn't mad, really. I was more apprehensive to share with him again. There was so much I didn't know about him and this Cullen family that it made me feel like I wasn't allowed to ask. But I was a part of this family now, both Alice and I and that gave us a right to know about it. To be involved in the future decisions even if they were hard. It would bring us all closer. That was real family bonding, going through the hard crap together.

"I think that's it," Alice spider walked her fingers across the items in her hands and in the cart; I held my breath, hoping this is the end of shopping. "Let's check out!" I smile, my head has been pounding for the last hour, I am glad I didn't have to play 'runway model' with her again in the dressing room. Although it was humorous to see Edward marvel at the mirrors and our bench, he confided in me that a girl's dressing room had always been a fantasy room for him. It hadn't lived up to his expectations. He made many snarky remarks about my outfits, and the laughs kept my spirits up.

"That about killed me," Edward joked –get it, since he's already dead- coming up beside me and passing through the racks of clothes every so often. I snorted and smiled, but we were in the open now and too many people would hear if I responded. "I am sorry I didn't tell you about James… He wasn't always like this, and I was hoping I could get him to think clearer, to remember all the good times and move on, instead of dwell in hate and anger. His thoughts are so… muddied, it's like he's lost his ability to reason. He's changed."

"You can hear him?" I scanned the area we were in looking for James. A lady with a perfume bottle in her hand paused to look me over, her brows knitted together. Right, don't act like you can see and hear people no one else can see or hear. I shook my head and Edward laughed at me.

"I couldn't hear ghosts before this, maybe because I'm a spirit thing right now, that's why I can." I turned to look at him, and he sighed, knowing I still didn't believe him about being alive. "Bella, I get it, but why don't you ask me?" I paused, my cart wheels squeaking. Why hadn't I asked him? Alice turned in front of us and tapped her shoe on the linoleum of whatever over-priced store we were in. Edward had a point. I pulled the cart forward again and when we were in a line to check out, I gave Edward an apologetic smile. Why hadn't I asked him to explain his perspective? Get his side of the story, instead of just impose what I thought on him? Alright, it was a weird concept, an alive ghost? I mean, come on!

"I'm not dead, but I'm not really, completely, alive either," Edward explained and I looked away so no one would think anything was off with me. We would have figured something out for in school talking, that is for sure. "I would have liked to show you, if you would have-" My phone sang out from my pocket.

"Meme," Alice told me over her shoulder as she plopped her pile down in front of the cashier "And I'll show you my card in advance since you already don't believe that I can pay for this." The cashier lady's mouth opened then snapped shut as I fished my phone out. Everything always interrupted at the worst times. I clicked send and held the receiver to my ear.

"We are actually done," I started, my voice telling Meme just how happy I was to finally be able to say that. I didn't open with the usual 'hello', I was too excited to get out of this over-sized mall and Meme knew it.

"Oh good! Did you find anything you liked?" Meme was always so optimistic, but I actually had found a shirt. Alice just shrugged when I showed her.

"Yes, I found a shirt, it says 'Some dudes marry dudes, get over it'," We laughed together as Edward rolled his eyes, a smile pulling at his lips. I was glad that among the seven bags Alice had for me, I had one item that I picked out and liked, well, besides the jeans, but those didn't really count as my pick, since jeans were essential.

"That sounds like you," She was still laughing on the other end. "We're thinking about going out to eat, you feel like Italian, Chinese, or a burger joint? We're torn, so you and Alice's vote will at least eliminate one option, what say you?"

"Smoothies," I could hear Meme smile on the other end. I turned to Alice; she probably already knew where we were going to eat. "Alice, where are we eating?"

"Some burger joint," Alice barely looked up as she grabbed a second bag from the cashier, moving the other items from the cart to the counter. She was making a mess on purpose, the flyers were scattered on both sides of the counter and the pen jar was tipped over. Meme relayed the message that we were going to Jasper's pick. I studied Alice for a second, had she picked Jasper's on purpose? I caught Edward's eye but he didn't give any indication that it was on purpose. I could hear the others in the background; Carlisle asked if we needed help carrying everything.

"I think so; we'll meet you out front by the picture booth," I eyed the third bag, and the still pretty full cart. If you are wondering how we managed to find a cart, I'm still wondering the same thing. Alice just procured one; maybe it was free after you spent a thousand-million dollars. If that was the case, we'd have a few then. I sighed. Who knows!

"Alright see you then, love ya," Meme was walking now, and I think I heard Rose say something angrily at Carlisle but I couldn't make it out. It was an educated guess that it was mean.

"Love you too." Well, maybe it wasn't so bad to be with Alice, instead of Rose. I shrugged, putting my phone back in my pocket as the cashier continued to pull the security tabs off of Alice's clothes.

"I know I've said this before, but you both are really different," Edward shook his head as Alice shoved the forth plastic bag into my arms. I stepped backward, trying to catch it before everything spilled out the top. I balanced it, gripping the handles and glaring at Alice.

"We're almost done, then you'll get your smoothie and you'll be back to your normal, non-complaining, passive, self again." I sighed at her, grabbing the bag on her other arm so she could balance herself out.

"The things I do for you," I groaned, wanting to read a book in our personal mini-library and curl up on one of those super squish couches. Alice handed her credit card over with her ID; the cashier studied her and the cards for at least a minute before handing her ID back and swiping the card. Apparently we had a limit set up on all of our cards, but Alice was nowhere near reaching it. Trust me, I couldn't believe it either. Carlisle was a bottomless pit, and he didn't bat an eye as he seen just how many bag's Alice had. He even let her stock up on fabric earlier, although it was really nice of her to ask since this wasn't a fabric trip.

The store smelled like lemon Clorox and I really wanted to go, it was giving me a double head ache, or Alice has already given me a headache. Edward led the way out, or rather, it looked like I lead the way out, but the closer we go to the door, the better I felt. Meme and the others were standing around the photo booth where they said they would be. One look at my face and Meme nodded, digging into her purse as we approached.

"She's fine," Alice chimed, handing both her bags over to Emmett and Jasper, while Carlisle took one of mine. I always got stuck carrying something while Alice did nothing, yet she swears up and down that she does all the work.

"Here dear," Esme addressed me before turning to Alice to reprimand her "and you shouldn't take advantage of your sister, she was really worried about you earlier." Meme handed me two Advil's and a half empty bottle of water. Alice gave me an apologetic look, letting me know she'd go easy on me for awhile, and I smiled back, letting her know we were fine.

"Twin talk," Jasper called, but I ignored them all as I took the pills and drank a swig of Meme's water and noticed Edward, again acting weird. He was off to the side, he avoided getting too close to his other family members, and that wasn't strange it was his focus that was off. He kept looking to his right, and shifting his head from one angle, than another. It was like he was trying to get a better look at something.

"Oh damn," Rosalie called, "Code: L, everyone go!" I didn't quite know what that meant, but everyone jolted into action, Emmett and Jasper lead the way and even Carlisle guided Esme's elbow into the other shoppers to our right, walking toward the exit. Our car was on the other side, but it didn't seem to matter. Alice and I followed, and Edward rushed up beside me.

"It's Lauren," He was angry with her, I didn't know why or what was going on, but I think the other Cullen's knew. Had something happened between them and Lauren? Alice said she was planning something against them, shit I really should have asked her what she meant by that, but we had driven Angela home and I had been distracted.

"What's going on?" I asked Carlisle as I caught up to him.

"Rose and a girl at her school, well, your school now too, don't get along. It's better to avoid her all together." Woah, did Carlisle just lie to me? I fell back into place next to Alice. Rose would not run from a fight. She instigated all the time, she would not defuse or turn tail against Lauren.

"I did not expect that," I told Alice as she gave me the same bewildered look, knowing that Carlisle had just skirted my question and dismissed me, maybe we weren't all the way accepted into the Cullen's family as we had thought. There were secrets surrounding Edward and James and now Lauren. There must have been some other reason for Esme and Carlisle not telling us about them. It hurt my feelings, that even Edward was keeping this secret.

He didn't get to finish telling me what he meant by him not being totally alive, or totally dead yet either. Shit.

Alice, Esme and I reached our car first, since we were parked a row down. I didn't argue as we were segregated again by Swan's and Cullen's, (Esme apparently was still a Swan). I climbed in the back, pushing bags over to make room for my seat belt. Better safe than sorry. I felt bad that Edward had to sit with everything inside of him.

"What the hell is going on?" Alice demanded as Meme started the car.

"Well…" Meme began before she second guessed herself and sighed. "There is a lot going on right now, that you two shouldn't have to worry about." I heard Alice groan before shooting me a look to interrogate Edward.

"So it's family stuff," Alice huffed, making Meme feel guilty. "I understand why you would exclude Bella and me." I opened my mouth to tell Alice she had gone too far when Edward put his hand out, telling me to let it play out.

"No, Alice," Meme retorted, her voice sad and torn. "It's just complicated, and it's painful for them to talk about. They lost their aunt-sister-mother Elizabeth, with their uncle-father-brother-in-law Edward in a fire almost four months ago, and then barely a month later, they lost two of their cousin-brother-nephews James and Edward Jr. in an accident. Emmett is the only one alive and well." God this was a confusing family set up. No one was related, but we were kind of. Adding us married in relatives is sprinkles to the already iced cake.

I sighed as I realized again that Alice and I hadn't been told about Edward and James either, I was more than a little surprised when Esme answered my unasked question. "Carlisle didn't visit that month, and I didn't go up because he was situating everything with all three boys, dealing with his and their loss and I didn't tell you girls what was going on because nothing was final yet, the paper work hadn't gone through. By the time I did fly up again, Carlisle had been so distraught with losing two other members of his family so soon after… Well, let's just say there are reasons why things were kept a secret; we want you to have as normal an experience here as possible. We want you to be happy, and not worrying about thing out of your hands." Esme took on a stern mother's voice, leaving little room for arguing.

Wait, so Edward did die in an accident, what had he been trying to tell me then? "They are having a hard time with a lot of their decisions they are making right now, decisions a person your age shouldn't have to think about. Lauren and what she's doing… well, it's just better for you both, emotionally if you don't have to think about it too."

"Shit," Edward muttered, "Bella… You have let them know that what she's doing is a lie! It never happened! I wouldn't-" Edward's face was panicked as he faded; I stared shocked into the bags of clothes beside me. Edward had just been there! He had to tell me something important, really important by the look of it.

"She's a lying Bitch," I told Meme, she ticked her tongue at my language. It was out of character for me, and it took her and Alice a second to respond. "I met her in the library… Whatever she is doing, she's lying about it."

"Bella…" Esme warned as Alice turned in her seat to look at my face. If Edward knew it was a lie, it had to be. It must have been something between them, and Alice warned me she was planning something.

"If you don't listen to her… If you don't tell her… Lauren will get what she wants," Alice warned Esme, then me. I had to tell Meme that I could talk to Edward… To stop Lauren, if Edward was here to tell me what I am stopping, I would have told her then, but this time, I clicked my tongue as we pulled in behind Carlisle and the Cullen's at a place called 'Burger Joe's.'

"We'll talk this out later," Meme resigned, trying to pull on a less-tense smile as she popped her door open, Alice turned in her seat. She didn't have to ask for me to know.

"Vanished," I told her. Lifting my left shoulder up to let her know it happens from time to time. Wandering souls can't always be around… It would be nice if he could have finished his thought though. I am really curious about Lauren. "Lauren?" I asked, hoping that Alice's vision showed her something substantial, something that would tell us what the hell was happening.

We stepped out of the car, a few feet behind the others, they were quiet, even Esme and Carlisle were in the front holding hands but not smiling. Alice leaned into me, her arm looping through mine and she groaned. "This is going to be awful, but their banana-cherry smoothie is delicious." I waited, "Lauren is blackmailing Carlisle and them, and they've each gotten something from her with her claims. Lauren is alleging that she's pregnant, and that it is Edwards. She's a couple months along. The timing adds up…" I groaned turning to her as we entered the joint.

It was surf-bar style, the servers all had leis, the pictures and random decorations were all sea themed. "He said it never happened," I whispered as a perky server came up to our group. I wouldn't call them family yet, even Carlisle has been keeping secrets. Hell, I didn't even know he had James and Edward and what the hell had happened to them. I get that it's painful to talk about, but at least have Meme tell us. This is ridiculous! Telling us that Emmett had 'lost his family' didn't really cover that he had two brothers too… _Groan!_

"Calm down, Jealous Belly," Alice gave me a half snicker, and followed the leader until we got to our table. I had to hustle to keep up, since my legs didn't move right away and my foot burned. I felt off without Edward. I felt like a piece of us was missing, a piece of me. I tried to shake it off, taking a seat at our round table between Emmett and Alice.

It was really quiet. We ordered our drinks –I got my smoothie- and everyone at the table avoided eye contact and kept their lips, zipped. If Edward was here, he'd be going crazy with everyone's internal monologues, and he would probably be letting me know what was going on, since he was telling me right before he vanished.

"Does everyone have their summer reading done?" Carlisle asked, and I jumped slightly surprised he spoke as Alice leaned in. Whispering that she printed off the assignment for both of us yesterday and that school was creeping up on us. I read between the lines, I might have to just tell Alice what the book was about, once I read it and everything. Alice didn't read like I did.

There was a series of 'yeah' and head nods, but Alice and I didn't respond. We wanted real answers; we didn't want any secrets between us and everything. Well besides the fact that Alice and I were supernatural, and that I could see their dead relative -brother, cousin, nephew and step nephew. Talk about a ridiculous family tree- but that should be the only secret.

I'm a hypocrite a little, yes.

I know that it is unfair. Why should Alice and I be allowed some secrets and they shouldn't? They couldn't possibly know that I know Edward, and that Alice can help them change the future. To them, they probably want this rumor taken care of and they also probably want to know if a piece of Edward exists out there. If Edward wasn't lying, which I don't think he would about this. Then they should know, before they get their hopes up. They needed to know that Lauren is lying.

Running away is a pretty clear indication that they don't want to be bothered with her and her craziness though. So they probably don't believe her.

"I met Lauren at the library," I said allowed after the table had fallen silent again. Every eye at our table turned to me, and I was saved from their curious, angry eyes as our waitress started handing out our drinks. She asked if we needed a minute deciding and Alice took the lead, which surprised the waitress since she expected Carlisle to respond for all of us. Alice knew I was going to lie to all of them, and I did as soon as the waitress shied away.

"I guess I understand why no one told us, but family is supposed to be there for each other even if it's hard to talk about. Those are the times when we need each other more than ever," My face burned and I hoped everyone deduced it was from my speech and not from my upcoming lie. "Lauren told me… and asked me a bunch of questions about Edward, about you guys. It would have been nice if I had a heads up, I didn't tell her shit, because I didn't know her and she'd been a downright bitch to me before she found out who I am newly related to." Not a lie, phew, I think I could do this, but Alice saved me and took over the rest of the speech, showing that Alice and I were in this together.

"Bella told me, she confided in me afterwards," Alice announced letting everyone know that me and Alice were true family because we told each other what was going on. "Keeping two other deceased members of this family a secret and now, a plot against our family, a false claim to get money, has been kept a secret from us too. It seems that Bella and I, are not truly in this family, and we aren't going to make you accept us, we aren't going to make you include us, but Bella and I will always let you know if something happens that involves any of you." I smiled at her, sad and light. I sipped my smoothie. She is so much better at guilt trip speeches than I am!

The smoothie is delicious, by the way.

Esme sniffled, taking her napkin and dabbing it under her eyes. Carlisle stared at me, and then Alice, back and forth for at least five times before the silence had been broken. I had been surprised who broke it.

"So you can stand up for yourself," Rosalie announced, pealing a wrapper off of a bendy straw to place in her iced tea. "Good and I told them that we should include you. I'd be pissed too, if I wasn't a real member of my own family."

"It's hard to talk about my brothers," Emmett added, nudging me with his elbow lightly as we –Alice and I- turned to him, "but I am sorry that you didn't know about them, that you had to find out through Lauren, of all people."

"Rosalie and I had agreed to come to you tonight, and let you know about what was happening in this family. We were told to let you settle into the new area, but we weren't going to listen," Jasper informed us. Alice confirmed this to me with a quick affirmative tap with her shoe under the table. Jasper is alright then, and I turned from him to Alice to see if she thought of him as anything more than a brother, if she even knew what Jasper has been thinking. Probably not, since he has no plans –according to Edward- to make any moves, so Alice wouldn't see anything coming.

"I wanted to protect you. I wanted this to be easy for the both of you. I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you feel like you aren't apart of this family," Esme dabbed away the last of her tears before getting up out of her chair so she could hug both Alice and I's head. It was uncomfortable, but I brought a hand up to pat Esme's arm.

"I think we should visit the hospital on the way home," Carlisle announced, nods around the table made my eyebrows raise, Emmett was the last to nod, his shoulders back and tense. Carlisle continued. "It also, wasn't my intention to make either of you feel like less than family. I should have listened to Rose and Jasper." He gave each of us a long serious look. "We love you girls, and this won't happen again." Alice beamed at them, and I nodded, blushing into my smoothie as the waitress came around for us again.

I forgave them, and Alice did too. We could grow as a family from here, and I guess they had their reasons. Esme wanted us to settle in, to get comfortable, before we were bombarded with intense situations. She couldn't have predicted that Edward and James would haunt me or that Alice would see this, (although she probably should have thought of that). It didn't matter now, it wouldn't happen again, and everything would work out.

Why would we need to visit the hospital though?

I knew Alice wanted to tell me something, after we ate, and spoke of easier things, it seemed to be better. Even Rosalie seemed at ease, even after a ridiculously long shopping trip I figured everyone would be upset about, but it was… easy. Alice kept giving me long message filled looks but I didn't understand what she was trying to say. We ate and there were lots of laughing, even Rose seemed to laugh at herself when she was picked on for her quick-to-anger attitude. It seemed that she was just as quick to laugh, and calm down too. Esme did get her wish, we were family-bonding, and when we had a problem it had been discussed and taken care of quickly. This might just be alright.

Without Edward though, I couldn't relax all the way. I knew the Lauren situation was over, but why hadn't he come back yet? I knew he didn't have any control of fading, but where would he appear back? Did he have to walk from there to where I am? Will he be pulled in another direction? Had he been forced to move on?

I wanted him to move on… but… god, I felt like he should be here with us. I felt like the right thing to do is to keep him. I told myself over and over that it was selfish, that he is my new-not-brother and I should want what is best for him. I shouldn't like him the way I do. I wanted him to come find me again, but if he could find his way into heaven… I hoped he would choose that over me. I stayed quiet after that, after the realization that I might never see Edward again washed over me.

"Bathroom," Alice announced pulling on my arm as Carlisle put a credit card inside the bill fold; he didn't even look at it. Esme stood with us and Alice didn't wait for her as she pulled me along. We dodged some tables and I didn't complain as we entered the bathroom and I tripped, catching myself on the bathroom counter.

"Bella!" Alice hissed, one of the stalls was occupied so she had to whisper. She gripped my elbow when I straightened and her tense face came close as she spewed her explanation for her behavior. "Edward isn't dead Bella! I can't believe he didn't tell you! He's in a coma and he is in Carlisle's hospital, Edward is his patient right now! He might wake up; maybe you can help him, push him back into his body or something!"

Holy shit! I didn't have a chance to respond as Esme came into the bathroom. She misinterpreted Alice's and my thoughts and in two long strides, Esme had both of us under each of our arms. My eyelids hurt they were so wide and tense.

Edward _is _alive.

"I am sorry, girls. You know I had your best interest at heart, I just wanted everything to go as smoothly as possible, and I'm really sorry you had to hear from Lauren what was going on in your own family. We're still the three musketeers, right?" I know Esme needed reassured and when she pulled back and put her pinky out, I had to force myself to move. I couldn't believe it; Edward didn't die in that car accident. Alice and I's pinkies connected with Esme's and Alice gave me a long wide eyed look as she told Esme we would love her no matter what, and that we knew she always did what she thought was best, but that we were old enough to decide for ourselves now.

I barely listened, wanting more than ever for Edward to reappear. I wanted to jump up and down laughing my head off, I wanted to cry in relief, I wanted to hug Edward, and I would when we went to the hospital!

I'd get to actually, _really see_ Edward.


	8. Chapter 8

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of the characters I am using in this Fiction. Stephanie Meyer's owns everything.

A/N: Another day early. I should get a medal. :) I'll settle for a review! lol.

"If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character… Would you slow down? Or speed up?"  
-Chuck Palahniuk

Chapter 8:

I memorized the way through the hospital. We were shown Carlisle's office first, since it was on the way and I appreciated the sentiment. We could seek him out anytime, and if we told the nurse to page him and waited in his office, he'd drop everything else as soon as he could. He reassured all of us that we were first priority. We spoke and were introduced to the other staff members so they would recognize us and let us go -basically- wherever we wanted too.

Esme was also introduced as the new Psychologist on the psych ward, and as his wife. (Not in that order, which really said something about Carlisle personally). Some of the nurse's faces turned sour, since I guess I could see a little appeal to Carlisle's… hotness.

Still 'ew, gross' because he's like my dad now.

Esme had been very polite, but I was biting at the bit to actually, really, in the flesh, see Edward. I had been introduced to his co-workers but didn't say much, Alice pretty much took over all questions directed at me. She knew I was about to run down every hall looking in each room to find him.

I wish Edward were here, the ghost Edward, since his body is here somewhere.

No one could know of course, I had to really keep myself in check. To everyone here –except Alice- I had never met the guy, but hopefully squeezing his hand and feeling a little of his skin there won't seem so out of the ordinary. After I ask Edward about it, I hope that I'm allowed to visit when I want, alone. What I'd do, I'm really not totally sure but I'd like to be alone with him sometime in the future. Sometime soon, since I really felt like Edward has become a good friend of mine.

Although, what good would keeping his body company do when I see him all the time? He probably won't want to stay here though. If I were in Edward's shoes, I wouldn't want to be hanging around a hospital either. Oh, speaking of hospitals, they are the most uncomfortable places for me to be. I have to bring Alice because, as I said before, Ghosts love to haunt where they died -and where they are buried-. I just never know when a patient was really there or not.

Every nerve in my body was alert and anxious. A whole realm of possibilities opened the moment Alice told me what was going on in that hamburger joint's bathroom. Maybe Edward would wake up? I didn't flatter myself into thinking that Edward would like me, or in any manner want to 'get with me'. He liked people that looked like Lauren. Although just the fact that Edward had the chance to be real again made my heart flutter.

Hopefully he learned his lesson about fake bitches though because anyone who would take advantage of a situation as depressing and soul crushing as Edward's and his family's –my family's-, isn't a good person. Edward said he didn't sleep with Lauren, so either Lauren is pregnant and wants to get money out of the Cullen's before the baby is born and proven to be someone else's, or she's lying for whatever sick reason, getting the Cullen's hopes up that Edward had passed on the family name before his accident.

A stray, guilty thought floated across my head. What if Edward had been drinking that night… and didn't remember getting Lauren pregnant? What if that had been the reason James and Edward got in the accident in the first place! I pushed the thought away, no, Edward told me what happened that night, James's plan had just backfired and he ended up dying.

Yet, if alcohol had been involved… I never experimented with the stuff personally, but I'd heard some horror stories. Maybe the affects didn't extend to massive black outs, but I knew if it was bad enough, it could. No, no, Edward wouldn't have been so firm in his denial if he hadn't been absolutely sure. I knew he hadn't been an angel, and probably had been around the block even before he moved up to this tiny little money hungry town but that didn't mean he'd drink and drive or black out an entire evening with his girlfriend.

Another nurse sized up Esme, stopping our walk toward Edward's room. Alice had to pinch my arm to stop me from exploding a string or profanities at the slow pace we were moving at. I glared at Alice, but she just gave me a pity-filled half smile and took my hand in hers, squeezing it before dropping it to her side again. If Alice had seen anything, she kept it to herself and didn't give any indication that I should be concerned. The Cullen kids recognized the lady and all said their guarded 'hello's' and Alice and I were introduced again. Alice took over for me again, even touching my shoulder as I gave a tight lipped smile to the lady standing in my way of Edward.

I felt strongly about him. Perhaps because of the blossoming friendship but I am not sure. I had to go with my instincts here and I think the real reason is because I might be able to help him. If he has a body, and I have the gift of soul-seeing… maybe I could, I don't know, make him come back. Do the whole 'resurrection' thing in its most basic form. Not that I have ever tried that, or been in this twisted situation before.

The extent of my gift had never been explored before; I'd never had a reason to. Most of my life I'd been pushing my gift away and now that I had a real reason to use it… I wished I would have practiced or something. Although, how do you practice seeing things? I groaned softly and Alice tapped her shoulder to mine in a silent 'I'm sorry', even though it had nothing to do with Alice. It was not her fault that Carlisle has been, apparently, attracting the ladies. I'd have to ask Edward, if we ever came back, if the nurses that he didn't date ever spread any rumors of Dr. Cullen's sexual orientation after he turned any of these nurses down. He did have impeccable eyebrows; it would have crossed my mind that he was a 'fruit' too. I snickered to myself and Alice nudged me with her elbow to shut up and be respectful.

Finally, Carlisle ushered us along, and we stopped before room 414. Carlisle stood before us, as Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie went in. Although Alice had also had –one sided- conversations with Edward, Carlisle didn't know we knew anything, and so he explained, with his face tense and Esme's hand in his. Even Esme seemed upset we were talking about it. It was out of characters, since Esme really likes talking through every problem.

"Edward has been in a coma for seventy-eight days," Alice and I nod, knowing already that it's been close to three months, all of summer, since the accident happened during the last week of this past school year. All three of them, Emmett, James and Edward had only been attending Forks high school for little less than a month. We knew the time line from Esme earlier and Edward.

"He is stable, but there have been no signs of improvement for some time. His brother had been driving, James, and he didn't make it." Carlisle was grim and serious; his eyes that usually held compassion with a shine of mischief had only sorrow. It reminded me when we shared a moment in his study over his sister's death. I knew now that he had been mourning so much more. We did have something to share, to bond over but I felt now, that Carlisle had more pain. More than I could really understand. He'd lost two nephews, a sister and a brother-in-law in a span of a month or so.

I pondered for a moment as another realization and a possibility snaked its way into my conscious thought. Maybe this is why James couldn't stick around for very long. I'd never had a ghost friend before, so Edward following me around is new, but it is unusual that he can stay solid for so long. He had just vanished, but he didn't vanish that often, this would be his third or fourth time it happened in so many days. James appeared two times, and I'd only seen him once. The knife had to be his doing. That cut is still healing, but it stopped hurting once I could sit down after the shopping spree. Perhaps since James is truly, definitely dead, that is why he couldn't come around as often as Edward, nor as often as he'd like. Thank god for that! I'd be dead by now if James could come and go as be pleased.

"We don't have much hope, and it is my final decision on what the next course of action should be. His adoption has been finalized as of last week; so, let me introduce you to your brother." I'm pretty sure I flinched at the brother title. Hey, I have a crush on the guy, give me a break. I rushed in before Alice, ducking past Carlisle and then froze. Rosalie is glaring out the window, Jasper is leaning back against the wall closest to the door, Emmett was sitting beside Body-Edward, holding his hand, and Ghost-Edward is standing behind Emmett with his hands pulling at his already crazy hair.

Our eyes met, and I held his gaze as he gave me a small shy half smile, tilting his head toward his body as he dropped his hands from his chaotic mess of hair, relaxing as he saw me enter his room. He didn't say anything. I am grateful for that, since I wouldn't be able to respond, yet I felt like we had a whole conversation with just our eyes and boy language. _This_ is what he had been trying to tell me all those times I'd been a difficult brat to him.

Sue me, cursing is for suckers.

I took everything in before I looked at his body, giving myself time to adjust and come to terms with yet another new and stressful situation that had come into my life. I stepped forward, moving closer to Ghost-Edward, and Emmett. I felt confident enough to look, but flinched as I did so. Body-Edward had dark circles under his eyes, part of his head was shaved, and a pink healing jagged scar could be seen above his left ear amongst the newly grown stubbly hair there. The rest of it was wild, but flattened and untamed. -I realized then that Ghost-Edward's hair is as tamed as his hair got, which is _crazy_-. He had a feeding tube, an IV, a finger heart monitor, and sticky electro-circles stuck to his head. They were looking for brain waves, and I wished for a moment that I could read the screens for what they really meant. Maybe I didn't want to know, if the news wasn't good.

The sight chilled me, because Edward's body looked dead. Deader than his ghost, that's for sure.

"He'll pull through," Emmett told me, reaching out his free hand to touch my arm to get my attention. "You know he will." I shivered at his statement, automatically looking up into Ghost-Edwards eyes. I'd avoided looking as to not make anyone suspicious –Alice and Esme- or think I'm crazy –Rose, Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle-. "We all can feel it too." Ghost-Edward shook his head to let me know Emmett didn't mean it the way it sounded to me. I just nodded, looking back at Body-Edward.

Ghost-Edward and Body-Edward didn't look like the same people. Obviously they were, it was just that his body looked paler, pasty and his cheeks were sunken. I'd never considered that Ghost-Edward would look more alive and healthier than his body. I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment, as Alice came up beside me and took my hand, not releasing me after she squeezed the same way she had in the hallway. She knew what I was going through and she is here for me.

I looked over at my sister, and she too looked tense as her brows met high on her forehead. I knew she was thinking similar to what I had been. Edward didn't look anything like his drawings, and it wasn't because I'm horrible at drawing. I stifled my choking groan as another earth shattering realization came over me. My world tilted on its axis, my hopes slipping down a greased-slick, smooth slope plummeting into nothingness.

Edward's body might die. He could permanently be stuck as a ghost! Emmett may have hope, but with how it looked to me, he shouldn't, no one should. Edward's body looked _bad_. Even Carlisle warned us just before entering 414 that he didn't have much hope either.

In a daze, I stepped away from Emmett's vibrating form. I knew he was sobbing, since his head was down and his grip on his brother's hand caused Body-Edward's arm to shake from the force of Emmett's convulsions. How he managed to sob silently, I don't know, but as I moved around the bed, towing Alice behind me, Rosalie stepped up to bat, comforting Emmett with a petite hand on his twitching shoulder. I hadn't noticed her move from the window toward us.

Ghost-Edward had calmed when he seen me but he is still tense. In essence he was visiting himself and having an out of body experience with his mourning family, which had to make him feel off and probably more anxious than me. It is his life on the line here. Ghost-Edward moved from behind Emmett, I think giving Rose and Emmett some space, even though they had no way of knowing that he had been comforting Emmett the best way he knew how. All Edward could do was _be_ there. He followed me, moving to the end of the bed as Carlisle started explaining, going through medical terms before he shook his head, starting over. Carlisle had Edward's chart in his hand, standing next to the white board with a nurse's name on it. Also, tacked to the wall was a rotation schedule to avoid bed sores. I don't know why I noticed that, but I shook my head to try and focus.

"Edward has been constant since his last drop almost a week ago," Carlisle's tone took on a tight-informative air and I knew he slipped into his figurative doctor's coat as soon as he touched Edward's chart. Carlisle could handle this situation better if he felt as if this is happening to another family, one he was updating and not his own. "That is a good sign, since his vitals have remained steady but we are unable to remove him from life support just yet. It's too soon." Carlisle seemed to be confirming something with himself about that before continuing. "His cast –on his right leg-" Carlisle clarified, I think for Alice and I, "should be removed with in the week. Medically, he's healed, his concussion has since dissipated, the surgery went well, and he even scared up nicely. This isn't uncommon for coma patients to be in-tact but unable to wake." His voice cracked and Esme took the few steps separating them to copy Rosalie and Emmett's position, only standing.

Ghost-Edward shook his head, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped. I thought for a moment that maybe if I touched Edward's body it might comfort him, but the desire passed, I wouldn't touch him without his permission anyways and I didn't know how to ask in a room full of people that didn't know about me. Would both Edwards feel me if I touched him?

"A coma case like this has a few theories, his cerebral cortex may still be healing and it isn't showing up on the monitors as to where the damage is. It would explain why, but maybe he just isn't ready to wake up. His pons could also be damaged, which is the bridge to his brain stem." I expected Carlisle to continue, since he was doing such a good job keeping it together. He didn't make it, figuratively putting away his stethoscope and picking up a figurative 'world's best uncle-father' mug and breaking down. Esme caught him, her own eyes filling as Carlisle took a seat in the only other empty chair pulling Esme into his lap and silently giving up to his emotions. No one judged and everyone waited, giving Carlisle some time by –basically- ignoring him, only in a good way.

"I think you should tell them," Edward-ghost informed me, making me break my focus from my new step-father's tears. I appreciated a man who showed his true feelings around his family and at this moment I'd never felt so close to being a family. And then Edward's words sunk in. If they knew I am a freak, would that tear us apart? My newly found connection with my family snapped as I imagined their reaction to my proclamation of my absurd ability. They may have come clean with their secrets, but I hadn't, and I felt like an outsider once more.

This had to be hard for Edward, knowing that he was the cause for all these twisted emotions and heart ache. I could see this from Edward's perspective and I knew he wanted to be able to comfort his family. Maybe knowing that he was here -in both forms- would ease some of his family's misery, but you never know, what if it just made it worse? Edward is in limbo, not here and not there and honestly, I think it would just cause more anguish. I couldn't do it, and it felt wrong on every level.

Perhaps it is wrong for me to keep Edward away from his family, stopping them from having a few more moments with their relative –through me- and it is selfish of me to not allow it when I have the ability. I dropped my head, guilty and tense. I am keeping them apart longer out of a selfish fear of being abandoned and judged. Trying and failing is better than giving up before putting in an effort, I took a deep breath, nodding at Edward before clearing my throat to make my announcement.

Alice's other arm shot out and punched me arm quicker than I'd ever seen her move. I covered my mouth with my free hand stifling my surprised yelp, luckily everyone in the room had been busy with their own emotions to pay any attention to my sister and I acting like fools. Edward-ghost sighed and resigned that I shouldn't say anything now, since it seemed his family wasn't ready for me to come clean. He still seemed upset, and I tried to give him some space as best I could.

I didn't know what Alice had seen happen, and through Alice, Edward, but I was grateful that they both seemed to be looking out for me the best they could. Also, I am really glad I didn't have to spill my best kept secret. I sighed and turned back to Body-Edward, not knowing why but thinking that it would distract me from everything going on around here.

When I stepped forward to a more intimate place beside Edward, lining myself up with his free hand, Alice fell away. I turned as she stepped back to lean against the same wall as Jasper and she gave me a reassuring smile.

The room and everyone's position in it took on another meaning. How f'ed up is this family that there were internal couples forming! Alice looked 'right' with Jasper, even with his tallness they seemed to just… fit. Rosalie and Emmett I admittedly didn't know well, but Alice had been cheerful letting me know about the future couple so I knew their secret romance would start eventually. Then there is Edward and I, the strangest pair yet –still not saying he's into me or anything- since he is in a coma and his family had no idea I could speak with him.

I swept my gaze around the room again, before stopping to look at Edward once more. He moved to Alice's previous place at my side with a tense stance. We both turned to study his body together, as ghost-Edward filled in a few more blanks.

"I heard you found out about Lauren… you know it isn't true, right?" I gave him a quick glace out of the corner of my eye. He said 'heard' like he had a conversation with someone, but he had been mind-eaves-dropping. I gave a tight small single nod for him to get the message while I thought again about how to ask Edward if I could touch him.

"She just wants the money, I don't know if she's really pregnant or not… Her family has enough so I don't know exactly what she wants it for or how much she's asking since Carlisle hasn't really got over the shock that he may have a grandchild at his already 'young-father' age," Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair, I didn't turn or react as to not give anything away or alert another to my weirdness.

The silence became comforting after a moment. Everyone is together, even if the others did not realize that Edward was truly here. All my fears about telling my secret dissipated and I felt like a real family member again.

"Yeah, so this is what I have been trying to tell you," I gave him a quick glare and he responded with a short humorless snort. "Right, would you have believe me if I told you this?" Well, of course I would have! It's not too ridiculous to believe and at the very least I would have investigated, and that was too long to put in a nod so I just lifted a shoulder slightly to give a little half shrug.

There was no way that I could find a story to get everyone else out of this room so I could have a private moment with the two Edwards. I didn't know how that would blow over but judging by Alice and Edward's response to my decision to reveal all my secrets I didn't think this was the right moment. The Cullen's were letting us in, and I wasn't about to shove them out.

"I'm glad you're here," Edward whispered. "I don't know how to get back in… and I think you can help me. Not yet, of course, I'm stable now and Carlisle will update you on my progress. We need to get James gone, to move on or something so I can get back. I can't leave you unprotected, or my family. We need to stop him before he moves on to find someone else distantly connected to his experimentation." Again, my response was far to elaborate to downsize to a nod or a shrug so I just gave a small sigh.

"It's not just that though." I held back my groan, I don't think I could handle more than this, my plate is more than full and anything added to it would set me off balance and I didn't react well when severely overwhelmed, contrary to Alice's high beliefs of me.

"I might not make it," Edward whispered, and I flinched in his direction. "Maybe I'm supposed to die, and I'm only allowed to stick around to stop James... I don't know how you are supposed to help but I know you were brought here for a reason." I open-mouth gaped at him unable to respond because my brain was stuttering, not because of the social implications of a crazy outburst.

"I've been thinking about fate lately... I mean, what are the chances of our legal guardians finding each other, you coming to Forks and being able to see me, if we were not supposed to work together? Gifts are one in a million, and yours is specific, it's too convenient!" I shivered thinking about fate, pregnant money conspiracies, secret tests being done on unsuspecting gifted children, the vision Alice had of my death and my summer reading essay I still need to start. This year was going to kill me, I just knew it!

Edward sensed that I needed some absorption time and thankfully he shut up.

Since the knife incident, it had been painfully –the literal meaning- clear that James is the ghost that can touch things, people and harm anyone he wants. I knew he needed to be stopped, but not how and I have no idea if I can even do anything along those lines. Could I shove a ghost into the ever-after? If James was doomed though, if he soul was not admitted into heaven (still assuming that there is one, although I knew for sure there is an after-life the rest is still a mystery) could I really subject a soul to that torture?

Edward thought I was here for a reason, here for him and his twisted situation... but what if it is just a coincidence? Is it right to dabble with the ever-after? I hadn't really considered the moral implications before since I've never meddled the way Alice did, so I wrapped my mind around the possibilities. If there was fate, am I messing with it? Since ghosts are involved, would Alice see the consequences? What if I messed everything up?

I'd help Edward, I knew if we didn't stop James, he would hurt someone else, maybe even kill someone else... He was gunning for Edward's and my family and if I can do something to protect them, I damn well will! Edward and I would have to come up with a plan later, preferably after I've slept for a couple days and my foot healed, but I wouldn't complain. I can handle this; I have to be able to handle this! Even if I had to keep Edward a secret, our friendship is worth it. I'd do whatever he asked, he knew his brother best and he knew what everyone's thoughts were. I trusted him, and we'll work together.

With my mind set and my shoulders tense, I gave Edward a confirming little nod. He sighed, letting out a huge breath as quietly as possible -why he tried to be quiet, I don't know-. He smiled at me, relieved that he had my help on this, even though I really didn't have much of an option. James inserted himself into our lives and made an attempt on my life. Which I am also still trying to come to terms with. I'd almost died last night... but here I am, hopeful about Edward's future and still struggling to squish my inappropriate feelings for my new comatose step-brother.

Since some things cleared up, I felt lighter. Even though Edward being in a coma was awful news, it felt like great news. I'd thought he was delusional, but very dead -for obvious reasons-. After the string of stressful events and bad news -which I consider the Porsche- I needed something good to happen. I had to think that Edward was going to make it.

With his well being clouding and alleviating my mind simultaneously -What can I say, I am crazy- I studied him again. I still had not touched him since it seemed inappropriate without Edward's permission but as I looked him over again, I wanted too. I looked back at Alice, she was ringing her hands but nudged her head in my direction twin-telling me to go ahead, so I turned to Edward.

Since I could not speak, which is really frustrating, I just reached out my hand toward his and met Ghost-Edward's eyes. He tensed for a second, and I took that as a no. I pulled my hand back, stung for being rejected by a comatose man. I surveyed the room, and everyone was still in their own little world. Esme and Carlisle were speaking quietly, Esme still holding Carlisle's head to her bosom. Emmett and Rose were holding hands, although not speaking or looking at one another. I gave Rosalie a small smile and her eyes widened, surprised. She hadn't seen my strange hand movements, I don't think.

Jasper, on the other hand has always been strangely perceptive. I've caught him puzzling over me and my bizarre mannerisms before. When I met Jasper's eyes he was looking at me, before he walked over to Carlisle, put his hand on his shoulder telling him something that sounded like 'too much' and walked out of Edward's hospital room. Edward relaxed some as he exited the room but I didn't think about why. I brushed it off, not in the mood to ask after Jasper or get paranoid about me being the reason Jasper bowed out.

"He'll tell you soon," Edward filled in but I didn't look at him again, I was rather upset that he denied me my first and maybe only change to get to feel him. We'd spoken about not being able to hug one another or touch and yet when I have the chance, I'm not allowed? Sure, it is unfair that Edward doesn't have the chance to hold my hand but I wouldn't take his chance away simply because I couldn't reciprocate.

"It's not that I don't want you too," Shit, I bet you can read my mind! He lied to me! I gave him a small glare out of the corner of my eyes, and crossed my arms. At the last second, I tried to make it look natural and not because I was throwing a mini-tantrum. I really didn't like this; I had to be careful about everything I did around Edward so no one got suspicious. "We don't know what will happen if you touch me, what if I you can't see me anymore?"

His points were valid, and selfishly I wanted to ignore them. Edward was a ghost and he couldn't stop me from holding his hand if I wanted to. I sighed, looking at the long fingers of his hand so close, yet inaccessible.

"I think you're right Emmett," I told him, really talking to Edward. "Do you believe in fate?" Emmett gave me a small tense smile with a slight head nod that let me know he appreciated the sentiment but didn't say anything. I think he was too worked up to form any words but either way, I let Edward know that if fate was intervening here maybe we needed to take a chance. He had his points, and maybe something like that would happen, but if we were supposed to work together, maybe this would be a good way to find out. Besides, maybe nothing will happen.

There was a space of silence again, Alice said she was going to find Jasper and she left giving me a small bye wave as she left. Carlisle had pulled himself together, Esme still sitting in his lap but he had a smile on his face, a tense one, but a smile. Edward finally agreed, I dropped my defensive pose and grinned at Edward. Everything would be fine, Alice would have seen something given that she's been seeing Edward's decisions somewhat, because he was somewhat alive!

Esme caught my joyous-look, her brows furrowed together quickly as I turned away. I'd make up a bogus story afterward, right now though, I get to touch Edward. "Esme knows that you can see me now," Edward informed me, but I knew that already. Esme was going to catch on sooner rather than later, she kept a close eye on us and I just hoped that Esme would not want me to tell Carlisle.

Without wasting any more time, I did what I'd been itching to do since I'd found out about Edward's breathing and alive body. I touched his hand, acting sure of myself as my skin jolted with the contact. It felt like a current, electricity passing from him to me and from me to him. I'd only made contact for a second, but the damage was done and if I could have taken it back I would have. I shouldn't have pushed Edward into agreeing, I should have listened to him.

I'm not a big fan of ghost movies, usually they are cheesy and inaccurate with the eerie howls and the houses shaking uncontrollably. Yet, as I flinched away from body-Edward's hand, my skin pulsing and tingling from the slight contact, something that had never happened to me before, happened. I watched Ghost-Edward as his eerie-fading-otherworldly howl filled my head.

Edward's body flinched, the monitors jumping and Carlisle was up and in his figurative lab coat in a second. A nurse rushed in, but I just stood, unmoving as I watched ghost-Edward's face twist in the worst expression of agony.

"I'm sorry!" I told him, panicked and shaking. I didn't know I could do that! I had no idea that I could cause a ghost harm! Edward flickered, fighting against something as he tried to stay, I didn't know if he heard me but when his body was injected with something by the nurse who rushed in after Carlisle, he vanished.

Esme pulled me out of the way, one of her arms around my shoulders as she told me that this couldn't have been my fault; that saying sorry was not necessary. Emmett and Rose had moved out of the way and Edward's body stabilized again, yet Ghost-Edward did not return. I waited as Carlisle thanked the nurse and then told Emmett that maybe it was time to go, too much excitement all at once.

Emmett's eyes were wide and pained. Rosalie was still gripping his hand and she had started crying sometime between our last eye contact and now. Carlisle was tense and stone-faced and Esme's arms were shaking around my shoulders. I'd caused all of them panic and Edward's tortured and twisted expression was all I could see as I met everyone's eyes once.

I wobbled then, my head spinning and the room going with it. I felt like I was falling and when everything went black I was grateful because for a moment I thought I would be able to follow Edward. We could be together and I would tell him how sorry I am...

Because I think I killed Edward's soul.


	9. Chapter 9

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters… yadda yadda. Stephanie Meyer's owns everything. Do I really have to say this every chapter?

A/N: In this chapter, there is a line that says "James came out of the closet," which I laughed at as I wrote. Next Friday, I shall not be updating. My next update will be July 28th for sure, I may update sometime before that, but not before or by Friday.

You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like Heaven.

-Jimi Hendrix

Chapter Nine:

Esme had arranged for when I awoke it was just Alice and her there, she knew I'd need some space. Esme knew about Edward now and I'd killed him. Everything was still spinning, my head hurt and my foot was pulsing where I'd been cut. I wasn't home, the room smelled like antiseptic and my only comfort was that I could hear Alice.

"She's going to open her eyes in about a minute. I bet she can hear us."

Esme gripped my hand and told me that Edward was stable. My heart clenched, she didn't know about the torture I'd put Edward through, she didn't see his face as he writhed into nothingness. I took Emmett's brother from him, I destroyed any chance for Edward and I could never face any of his family members, my family members ever again!

It's my fault that Edward won't ever return.

"Stop being melodramatic," Alice chided me, and I wanted to use this as an example to prove she had been wrong about thinking I was the strong one. I'd fallen to pieces when I'd shattered Edward, she was here now, telling me to get it together. "I don't_ see_ anything wrong with Edward, I don't _see_ anything happening to him and although that is a scary thought in itself since I don't see him waking up, but that also means he's fine for the time being and whatever you think you've done, you haven't."

They couldn't understand, they didn't know about the afterlife or see Edward fade the way he did. His howl echoed in my skull and I opened my eyes. I took a deep breath, staring at the florescent lights and the foam tiles on the ceiling. I took another breath, but my lungs would not open any farther to take in any oxygen.

"Bella, calm down," Esme whispered, brushing some of my hair back and getting me to look in her eyes. "Count down with me alright. 10, deep breath, you're alright. 9, deep breath, I'm here for you. 8, deep breath, good, Bella. 7, deep breath, everyone is okay. 6, deep breath, you're alright. 5, deep breath, I'm here for you..." she didn't get to finish, because I burst into tears. The panic subsided, but all that was left over was loss. I'd lost Edward, I did something to him and I'd never see him again.

I gripped onto Esme, letting go of her hand so I could wrap my arms around her neck. She sat on the bed with me, putting her arms around my center. She rocked me, humming 'The Whole World' as I cried. Alice stayed put, but she did put her tiny hand on my forearm on Esme's shoulder.

"I killed him," I told them both my voice sounding strange in my own ears. "You didn't see him. You didn't see what I did."

"You don't know for sure," Alice told me, as Esme shushed me softly pulling me closer as I cried harder. "Maybe he's stuck home or sent back to Chicago, he might come back. I know you've been through a lot today, but get it together. You don't know what happened to him. Assumptions are for suckers."

I tried, I took a couple more deep breaths and thought about it. Yeah, maybe he did just get relocated, or maybe I couldn't see him right now? Like it was his time to vanish and he fought really hard to stay or something. Crying wouldn't do any good, so I stiffening my back and shoulders and pulled away from Esme.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Esme asked, she wasn't angry, if anything she was hurt that I had kept a secret. Esme was just diverting the conversation, steering it away from my guilt and trying to get me to focus on something else, even if it was still about Edward.

"I wasn't sure what you'd do about it. I didn't want to worry you," I sighed, finding one of Esme's hands to squeeze. "He doesn't know how to get back." My voice cracked, if he is even able to come back at all now. "I didn't know I could do something like that."

"It's not your fault dear, no one blames you. His heart just leaped, that's a good thing, who knows maybe you sent him back into his body and he'll wake up soon?" We both knew that Alice had just informed us that she didn't see anything about Edward's body. Esme was just trying to make me feel better, and it was only working enough to get me to shut up. They couldn't understand. I'd pushed Edward into letting me touch him. He said no and I pressured him.

"Maybe you didn't kill him, but saved him? Carlisle said his vitals improved," Esme pet my hair as she continued. I wiped at my face. So I might not be a soul killer? I laughed at myself, tears still falling as insane laughter just kept coming out. I tried to stop, Esme just held me again as a nurse came in to ask if I'm alright.

"Oh, just peachy, never been better," I laughed out, feeling light and strange.

"This sometimes happens with fainting patients. We'll give you some orange juice and after you've calmed down you can go home." The nurse didn't even blink when I'd been sarcastic. Esme just started humming again as the nurse left.

It might be okay. He might be okay, I just didn't know yet.

By the time I pulled myself together I'd just finished my orange juice and Esme was calling Carlisle, he was still in the hospital and they let Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie take the second car home. They didn't like staying at the hospital too long and they were really spooked after Edward had that weird episode.

"Emmett said it was a good sign that his brother was still with them somehow. Like maybe he'd heard them talking about fate and was sending them a sign," Alice filled me in, rolling her eyes a little, even though they were filled with worry and sadness she was still trying to make me feel better. I'd made Emmett happy, sort of, in a weird twisted way. The only way I knew how... God, this was so messed up. At lease Esme wasn't mad about the secrets, not that she would ever be actually mad at either of us. Or, since she kept Edward a secret too, she really couldn't be upset with us for doing the same. In an obtuse way, I'm actually glad that Esme knows I could see Edward, or well, I could see him before I killed him.

Alice had copied my position on the bed; we were facing one another Indian style while she tried to make me feel better. Alice just rambled, she did that from time to time to fill silence but I didn't want to listen to her. Unless she saw Edward coming back, I didn't want to hear about him either. I couldn't rely on her visions for this since he was a ghost. Alice seemed to only get about half of his future decisions. There seemed like a lot of holes in this, but I couldn't be sure that I killed him. I couldn't be positive that I didn't though, either.

..

For the first two days after the incident, I didn't leave my bed. Alice and Esme kept me eating and bathing but that was as far as I moved. I slept a lot, which was surprisingly hard. I'd dream about Edward fighting some unseen force that just pulled him down and down, I'd reach for him, scream his name and he'd howl back, that same deep eerie sound that barley registered as human. We grazed fingers once, the electricity that pushed and pulled was there and he did break free, just enough to make up some ground but then I started to fall. He pushed me up, he saved me when I had been the one that doomed him.

I'd wake sweating and shaking, trying to forget Edward's howl. It never worked, but by the third day I forced myself to do something. I read my summer reading book, I stayed up all night writing my essay and when I was finished I wrote Alice's. She hadn't asked me but I knew she hadn't been doing anything with it. I saved them both and in the morning after I made breakfast, I asked to correct and fix Jasper's essay.

"Are you alright?" Jasper asked, staring at me like I'd just shifted into a massive shaggy haired wolf. He was definitely concerned but I just stopped thinking about too much. I needed distractions, he agreed, going up to his room to put his essay on a flash drive to bring down to me. I was staring at my laptop when Carlisle was called into work.

Alice was still sleeping but Esme had been up to enjoy my breakfast. There were plenty leftovers for the other three lazy, sleeping family members. Esme enjoyed that I took over making breakfast, but she seemed more pleased to see me out of my room and doing something.

I was just waiting for Edward.

I wasn't cut out for this 'supernatural gift' thing. I'd messed it up, I did this and I needed to face the consequences. Today was the third day and Edward would be here if he could be. My dreams were right, I doomed him to the blackness, he's floating in nothing somewhere and I did that too him. The first ghost friend I ever made, my step-brother who needed me, my first crush and this is what I did to him.

Esme wrapped her arms around me. I hadn't noticed her enter the kitchen or I would have held it together better. I let her comfort me but I didn't respond to her hug or her murmurs of reassurance. I just needed my space and once she sensed that, she went about cleaning up the mess I made making breakfast.

"I'll reciprocate," Jasper said, entering the kitchen with his own laptop tucked under his arm. "History is my specialty, but I'm not about to take advantage." I didn't even try and fake a smile, I just shrugged as he pulled the stool beside me out and set up his laptop.

"Save mine on your hard-drive, put your essay on the flash-drive and we can get started." Jasper pulled a thumb-drive from his front pocket and passed it over as he pushed the on button, his laptop screen coming to life. I did what he asked as Esme made a fresh pot of coffee. I still didn't know how to use the damn machine so breakfast had been put on hold for the first pot to brew. Carlisle tried to show me how to use it, but he lost me after the second dial with it's specific options and thankfully he avoided the 'Edward is fine' topic while giving me the coffee-pot tutorial.

"Any plans today?" Esme asked pleasantly but I knew she was tense hoping for me to have something to do today.

"I have practice at 3," Jasper responded. "The new captain started us way to _early_ this year, the season ended in April we usually start training in January and maybe if we have the Rec Center scheduled in advance, December. We're just supposed to be lifting weights and putting our time in at the batting ranges. I swear if this continues, I'm going to ask to replace Lee. He's a great guy but way to serious. The whole team is going to be exhausted before the season even starts."

"I'm sure he means well, why don't you talk to Lee before you go over his head with anything," Esme had paused to see if I would answer before she spoke, I wasn't in the mood to talk but I liked being around conversations simply for the distractions.

"You're right; it's just tense being around all the frustration and aggression." The way Jasper said it made me pause. I didn't think about it since I knew I was just imagining things but it sounded like Jasper meant something specific. I shook my head, safely removing Jasper flash-drive and pushing it toward him on the counter.

"Well try and enjoy yourself. It's not right that Lee is making everyone miserable. Baseball should be fun. Talk to him about it, I'm sure it will get better, you'll see," Esme walked over and put a hand on Jasper's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. She looked at me a moment before doing the same to my own shoulder, asking if I'd like to go grocery shopping with her today.

"I think I'll stay in."

"You haven't experimented lately," Esme reminded me, sounded dejected and worried.

"When are you going?" I didn't want to go but if Esme would stop worrying so much, then I'd suck it up like I always do and hope that I could sucker Alice into coming with us.

"If you are coming, whenever you want," I gave her a small lip tug, not even worth calling it a smirk since it didn't reach that level but Meme seemed satisfied and her smile in response made me feel even guiltier.

Jasper plugged his laptop in as Meme left the kitchen, I think letting Jasper and I have our space. She didn't have to go, I actually wanted her to stay because I didn't know what to talk about. Alice and Meme usually took over in the 'any and every conversation' department.

"This is going to sound odd, but here it goes... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but why have you been so miserable lately?" I don't think any of my muscles could have been tighter. What was I supposed to tell him, 'Your cousin will never come back because I touched his hand and his soul was swallowed up rather painfully into the dark nothingness... Yeah, uh, please don't be mad.' I sighed, averting my gaze back to his now open essay.

"I'm not ready to talk about it," I didn't want him to feel like it was just him that I wasn't confiding in. "When I am ready, I'll be sure to come find you and burden you with everything." I gave him a tight, twist of my lips to show him I was attempting to lighten the now uncomfortable mood by joking a bit.

"Good," Jasper smiled back, his eyes lightening as he pulled my essay up. "Now, be easy on the corrections and if you use red, I'm going to attack you like a ravenous vampire." He snapped his teeth together in my direction for good measure. I shook my head, a real smirk playing on my lips as I imagined that ridiculous scene happening.

I selected orange as my text color, although I had been tempted to pick red. I read through his essay twice before I felt satisfied. There weren't many corrections but he was half a page short of the required length so I gave him suggestions on how to add length without repeating his previous points. I saved it, turning toward Jasper but he was still intently staring at my essay.

This gave me time to think of Edward and my messed up dreams. I didn't want free-time. Edward's wail replayed, he'd been my only friend outside of Alice and I had to ruin everything. Somehow, I'd taken my gift and used it for the worse. All things have an evil side, as well as a good one and somehow, without even knowing it, I'd hurt Edward. How could I have known? Edward warned me about not knowing and I just quoted fate like I was so sure that nothing could come between us. I thought... god I'm so stupid and irrational! Jasper tensed beside me, I peeked over but he didn't look done. What caused him to get so rigid?

"I should apologize for assuming that you wanted to spend Carlisle's money frivolously," I was so surprised he spoke that I didn't catch what he said. I had to think back to what he was referring to. Oh, after I cut my foot and Edward... right. "It seemed to me like you didn't even enjoy yourself, from what I'd seen you only picked out one thing. Did you know that Alice dropped off another bag for me that night? At least she thought of others as she spree'd. That whole day was retail therapy at its finest."

"Yeah, don't tell, but she has a bag for Rosalie in our room still, waiting for the right time to spring her with 'girly' things. I was told it wasn't going to go over well." Jasper was trying to alleviate my stress, I was grateful for the distraction. Jasper laughed.

"Rose is a 'greasy-jeans and t-shirt' kind of girl." I nodded at him having already noticed that when Rose wasn't sleeping or eating, she was in that garage of hers.

"Since you've met Lauren, I'm guessing that you got a pretty decent idea of what this town is like for us," Jasper approached the topic with a soft voice. Was he afraid I'd burst into tears or something? When I was being distracted, I barely felt anything.

"Greedy, manipulative bastards?" I asked, giving Jasper a shrug of my shoulders before continuing. "I met Angela too and she isn't like that. Well, what I've seen of her."

"I like Angela. She tutors me in math, and I help her with history," Jasper said it nonchalantly and my muscles relaxed in my shoulders. I half expected him to take Edward's stance against mine and Angela's new friendship. He had a more open mind. I snorted at the idea, since Edward knew just how open everyone's mind really is. My heart clenched and Jasper again tensed and shied away from me.

Alice groaned as she dragged her feet across the tile. Had Jasper heard Alice coming and that was why he tensed? Was he nervous around her? He must really like her if that was the case. I didn't think I did anything but I was rather socially inept so it was anyone's guess as to why he reacted like such. Alice didn't look up at either of us, but Jasper muttered a hello. Before she could respond I let her know that I made breakfast and her plate was waiting for her in the fridge.

"I have your summer reading essay saved on my laptop," I added as an afterthought.

"Thanks," Alice didn't blink an eye, grabbing her cup of coffee and moving to sit beside me. She didn't get her breakfast so she must not be starving yet. "Before we go grocery shopping, we're swinging by the library. Maybe Angela will be there and I looked online and reserved a book for you." Of course that meant Angela would be working and that she wasn't going grocery shopping with me if I told her no. I wondered what book she could have picked but just nodded at her. It was best to just listen to Alice.

"Go on Jasper, don't let me stop your conversation," Alice added, sipping her cup as she pushed my laptop to face her and opened up her (actually my second) essay to read.

"Well, uh," I gave Alice a quick glare. She could be really rude in the mornings, she's had three sips of coffee; she should be in a spectacular mood now. "Just, if people are overly nice to you, both of you... Don't trust them right away. We like to keep our personal business, personal."

Well, Bologna and cheese smothered in mustard! Jasper was trying to look out for us.

"Are you saying we have big mouths?" Alice asked, her tone clipped and cold. Her casual movement of bringing her mug to her lips was just a show. Something has pissed off Alice and she was going to take it out on Jasper.

"Wait," I warned but it was too late. I hung my head, wished that Edward was back. I may be the only person that is capable of listening to him but he's the only one that ever listens to me.

"Come on, Alice," Jasper hissed, whoa. I shot my head up. This was too personal. Something happened between Jasper and Alice and it had nothing to do with Jasper's little warning. I looked back and forth between the two.

"Have some faith, Jasper. Bella and I can deal with a bunch of snobby wanna-be-rich-someday kids!" Her mug made a harsh noise when she placed it on the table. I slipped off the stool, wondering what could have happened between the two of them while I'd been wallowing in self pity.

A nap sounded wonderful.

"I was just letting... God, Alice can you be any more stubborn?" Jasper's voice had increased in volume but lowered in baritone. It was nice to know that for in the future when Jasper's voice lowed in pitch, it meant he was pissed. I left the kitchen leaving behind my laptop and hoping that Jasper would transfer over my essay with his corrections once he was finished. If, of course, Alice let him do anything with my laptop.

What could they possibly be really fighting about? This was a carryover fight, something made them fight before this and now they were starting all over again, or rather, Alice was starting the fight all over again. I sighed, climbing the stairs and passing Esme as I went.

"Steer clear of the kitchen. We'll leave in a couple hours for groceries," I touched her upper arm as I passed, reminding her that I loved her. She smiled at me, her face looking ten years younger and a whole lot brighter with the expression.

Once in my room I could breathe again. I'd always been a relatively solitary being. Alice and Esme were my only constants and since I'd locked myself away I'd gotten used to being in silence. With all the commotion and activity, it was nice to be alone again.

I crawled into bed, setting my alarm for two hours and conked out as soon as I relaxed my head on my pillow. The same dream came back, only this time Edward and I didn't fight the blackness. We ignored it. I reached out to him, gripping his cold skin and bringing it to my face while clinging to one another like it was our last few hours together.

The darkness was like a current, a wave and once Edward and I stopped struggling it naturally brought us upwards. "It's like quicksand," Edward whispered; his new eerie howl-like murmur chilling me, but I could make out it's meaning. I couldn't respond, my throat was thick and when I opened my mouth air only rushed out.

If I have somehow entered Edward's realm in my dreams I would be more than happy to do whatever it was that needed to be done to help him. I'd trade places with him, as long as he didn't mind being a clumsy, ghost-seeing, girl. Somehow, I think being a girl would freak him out the most of the three.

Edward stone hard and low temperature body, felt like a corpse. It was strange, but it didn't matter because here we could be with one another. His arms were clinging around my waist as I stayed as still as I could. Edward was better at it, a statue of himself. My hands were clasped behind his neck and I tucked myself into him, hoping that he could come back soon, deluding myself into thinking my dreams could mean something.

Alice's dreams usually meant something, so a girl could dream -literally-.

Beep. Edward was ripped away, the dream fading. Beep, I smacked in the direction of my desk. Beep, damn had I really slept for two hours already? I turned the noise off, a sob breaking out of my throat as I took in my empty room. Edward wasn't coming back. I'm crazy to think that my dreams meant something other than non-restful-sleep. I was just tormenting myself, picturing Edward and wishing we were together.

My cell phone's text tone buzzed out and I reached over, brushing my eyes clear with my other hand. The only one in the family that texted me was Alice, Esme couldn't text, so she called and my other family members don't have any reason to talk to me.

'Don't move, I'm coming home.' The text read, and of course it was Alice. What a strange message. I just shook my head wondering where Alice could have gone; did she go to the library without me? I would have liked to talk to Angela again. She is really obsessed about getting me this book she reserved for me. Couldn't she have just told me what it was about? I sat up in bed, thinking that Alice just wanted me to stay in bed. That wasn't too hard since my blankets were still warm and my eyes were still half closed.

I ran my fingers through my hair, my tongue over my teeth and rubbed the crustiness from my eyes. I ran over the possible dinner items I might want to try and from that, the ingredients Esme and I would pick up when we went grocery shopping.

I missed Edward.

My knees found their way to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, my head falling forward to rest on my right knee cap. I didn't know how alone I felt everyday until I found Edward. He was my first friend, and now without him, I realized what I've been missing all this time. Alice and I were like one person, but Edward-

Slam!

My head shot up from my knees and to the open closet door, it had been closed two seconds ago. I didn't move, remembering Alice's strange text, feeling the chill and goose bumps that came with a ghost visitor. I shivered hoping that Edward had returned. But the hope passed as I realized only one ghost could move things, or slam open doors.

Well, Shit.

James came out of the closet, the same stupid outfit on, his hair pulled at the base of his neck and the blood-freezing smirk on his lips. I'd killed Edward, so it was only right that I joined him. I felt like we should be together, so maybe the natural course of this whole situation is this. I messed up our fate so this is the consequence.

"Well, Hello!" James hissed, I think trying to sound deep and seductive but just making me cling harder to my knees. "Who would have thought that you would become Eddie's little pet." His laughter filled the room, the jumping and high pitch sounding more like a jackal. He leaned against the dresser beside the closet door, his hand reaching for the picture of my family before my birth mother died.

"Look how cute you were," James picked up the frame, fingering the glass and my breath picked up. I didn't want him to touch that. He put it down, tisking as he moved his hand across the wood to finger walk his way up the mason jar me and Alice had put the dirt from our father's grave in. His hand covered the little purple hearts I had painted in kindergarten.

The Jar was lifted off the dresser. James weighed it from one hand to the other. He was going to beat me to death with it. I just knew it. I stood, not worrying about Alice's text since James was here and there didn't seem to be a point in staying in bed.

"Why would you kill me?" I ask, staring at him, "I'm gifted like you are, I didn't do anything to you!" Perhaps there was some part of him that I could reason with? I was torn between my feelings of fear and the empathy. Edward wanted to try and reach him, wanted to get him to move on and forgive the people who hurt him.

"I'm not going to kill you," James smile twists further up instead of falling like I expected. I just accused him of wanting me dead. "I'm here to thank you." I cringe, already knowing exactly what he is thanking me for. I got Edward out of the way for him. "Now, well, now I'm going to kill you."

The room fills with his laughter again and I shudder. Inching toward the door trying not to seem obvious about my destination, which was anywhere besides in this room with him. James flipped the jar from his one hand to the other.

"It's too bad, really," He shrugged "If only you would have befriended me, instead of my weak minded, moody brother." I flinched, James moving so fast that it was too late to duck too late to move as my dad's father's day present zooms through the air. It's too fast to catch, it's too fast to do anything so I stand there frozen as the jar nicks my ear without hurting me and shatters against the wall beside the door frame.

I turn to look at the mess behind and beside me. "Daddy?" My voice choking and timid, the very thought that I failed my father burned my chest with desolation. The dirt was everywhere, the pieces of my father's mason jar scattered amongst the dirt. Maybe I could fix this? I was so wrapped up in my father's grave dirt that I forgot about James.

"Oh, did that mean something to you?" James asked, closer than I was comfortable with. Shouldn't he have used up all of his stored energy or something? Shouldn't he just move the hell on and not torment me? If I could kill/vanish/hurt Edward than I should be able to do the same to James! I didn't think it through or take note of the differences between this situation and Edwards; instead I just reached for James and touched his hand like I did Edward.

It didn't work.

James laughed as he twisted his very solid and very hard hand around my wrist. He pulled me up and crushed me to his chest, his other arm wrapping around my chest his nails digging into the flesh of my wrist. Shit. I fought the best I could, he was so cold and hard, like granite stone, it was like fighting against a statue. I had no idea I could touch ghosts! Or, maybe because James could be solid when he touched things, it was different for him. Whatever this was, I didn't like it and I wanted him to let the hell go.

"Nice of you to join us." I tried to twist to see what was happening, if my sister was back from the library or if someone from the family came in without me knowing. I couldn't tell since the next thing I knew I was flung away from James hard and fast. I gasped, sucking in air instead of exhaling my scream.

A hard, granite body cushioned my impact, the wall besides Alice's desk giving way slightly to accommodated the force. I was shaken up pretty badly; the statue that caught me could only do so much to absorb the impact. My neck had whiplash but I was alive and I turned in the arms of my savior staring up at the very tense and very angry face of Edward. My heart soared, forgetting about James and my impending death. Edward was alive, kind-of, well, he was back!

"I thought this might make you come out from your hiding place… a little old for hide and seek, don't you think, Eddie?" James bent down to collect a glass shard from the mason jar, his eyes never leaving Edwards. I was moved behind Edwards back as the first shard of glass was thrown, the piece missing it's mark and sticking out of the wall like a dart an inch above Edward's arm. He hadn't aimed for me.

Could ghosts kill other ghosts? Well shit, again.


	10. Chapter 10

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters I've borrowed to make this play out. Please support Stephanie Meyers with her series by buying her stuff.

A/N: Thanks so much to my beta Synphilia! She happens to be excellent and really fast! I've changed my mind about not updating, so next week will take a little extra time now instead.

Our life dreams the Utopia. Our death achieves the Ideal.

-VICTOR HUGO

Chapter 10

"What the hell happened in here?" Esme's hand was over her heart taking in the chaos with me in the center with a huge smile on my face. I tried to make it go away. I tried to act appropriate for this particular situation but Edward was back, alive -although comatose- and I hadn't killed him! I was dancing on the inside.

We had touched.

I wasn't sure if it was a one-time-to-save-my-life touch or not but I was hopeful that Edward and I could touch now. Maybe we always could since we had always been careful with one another but I think it was because I had touched his body. Who knows! Who cares! We can touch and that's all that matters!

James and Edward vanished together a moment after James' weak attempt to throw a shard of glass at the both of us. The scene was kind of like at the dinner table when I had seen the both of them for the first time. When they slammed together, they both disappeared. James had used up most of his strength (judging from his extreme miss when he threw the glass, assuming he was aiming for me) and I wasn't sure how long Edward was going to last since he'd been unable to manifest his ghost form for the last couple of days. But he would come back. More importantly, I know that he was capable of coming back.

Esme, I would have explained to, but Carlisle followed in a moment later, claiming he heard a crash. Luckily, Alice was on the other side of my bedroom door, telling the other members of this household that everything was fine and not to overwhelm me right now. I imagine that Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie now think I've thrown some kind of tantrum. I walked over to the shoulders sized indent in the wall, wondering momentarily when I even made a dent and plucked the shard of mason jar from the wall.

"Well..." I began but Esme saved the day.

"Forget about it." Esme waved it away, knowing this had something to do with ghosts and supernatural things that Carlisle couldn't know about, especially if it involved his comatose nephew. Alice strolled in, taking in the dirt on the carpet and sobbed out a bit.

"Dad..." Alice said softly, kneeling the same way I had. My smile vanished. Carlisle walked over and spoke quietly to Esme but with the set in her shoulders he wouldn't get anywhere. They had a deal that Esme would be the primary, well, everything parent with Alice and I, and Carlisle would be the same for Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. It worked for me, us and them.

"Alice, I-" I knelt beside her, barely missing a piece of glass with my knee. I didn't know what to tell her, it was my fault since I provoked James with semi-good intentions. I'd been going off of my fear. I should have been trying to get him to move on.

Esme asked Carlisle to get a dust pan and see if there is any super glue. I barely listened as Alice, instead of breaking down in my arms, pulled me into her chest like I was the one that needed comforting. Consequently, I did. I cried because I did do something that hurt Edward even though he is back and it was my fault that our father's mini-memorial was covering the floor! I could have died, again. James is out to kill me and I haven't done anything to the guy! How is making friends with Edward a crime punishable by death in James's eyes?

Esme pulled us up with a strength I didn't know she had and away from the glass mess. I worked with Esme, sitting on the bed as Esme went to the pile and started to pull out the pieces of the jar. Alice forced me to lean on her bone-hard shoulder.

"Are you in danger, Bella?" Esme asked, her tone higher than her normal voice. "I can make us move, together." She sounded like she was trying to catch her breath. "How can a ghost do this? Did you throw it at a ghost? How did that dent get in the wall, Bella?" Esme had stopped cleaning and was turned to me full force, her momma-bear coming out like she was about to kick some ass but she didn't know whose ass needed kicking.

"It was an accident." Alice answered for me, but Meme was having none of it.

"Not this time, Alice, you weren't here and I know you didn't see anything because of _what _was involved in this."

"I got some of it; I knew Edward was coming back." Alice sounded small, the same voice she used when she wanted out of the no-no chair our dad would put us in when we needed a time out so long ago.

"Edward did this?" Meme sounded shrill her hands coming up to cover her heart again and I think she muttered a prayer. "Oh, is that why you didn't tell me you could see Edward? Is he... god, please help him, is he a _bad ghost?_" She said the last two words like they were dirty, worse than a government conspiracy and she started to shake. "How can I protect you from this, Belly?"

"Don't," I told her, looking her straight in the eyes to stop her from giving me a 'I'm your mother and that's what mothers do' speech.' "It's not Edward that you need to be worried about. He's the one staying behind to protect everyone."

"He... He can go back but he's... Oh my." Esme sat down then, joining Alice and I on the bed. Carlisle returned momentarily but he seemed to realize that he wasn't needed nor wanted around for this particular incident. I guess he didn't have to stay at the hospital long, I remembered he had been called in after breakfast. He set the dust pan down and dejectedly exited our room. I think he got his feelings hurt when Esme sent him away.

"I'm going to help you with this mess, give us all some time to absorb and then the three of us are going grocery shopping and last minute school shopping. I want the truth," Meme said, her voice firm. Alice had stayed silent while forcing me to be held.

"Thanks," I told Meme, not liking the idea of making her worry. I shared with Meme more than anyone else (besides Alice, and now... well, Edward) but I usually skimmed over the parts I knew she wouldn't like or would cause her to hover, ask too many questions and try to fix everything when she couldn't. This was going to be rough, but I guess I owed her at least a basic explanation since the wall in our bedroom needed to be fixed now.

Alive gave me a defeated look, thinking that having Meme mad about us lying is worse than having her worry about the truth. I shrugged, still trying to leave out some of the more horrible details in my head for my speech to Meme.

We were able to save most of the dirt, Carlisle had brought up two heavy duty plastic gallon bags. The pieces of the mason jar were thicker, but the possibility of putting it back together again was there, although slim. I felt like I let my dad down somehow. Like this was the only piece of his grave I had and I hadn't protected it.

I couldn't watch when they vacuumed up the smaller clumps of dirt spread in the carpet they were unable to save. Carlisle gave me and Alice a hug and I felt that he was conveying with his hug that he would like to be a part of our hard decisions just as we forced the Cullen's to do the same for us. I groaned when Carlisle exited our room, knowing that there was no way around this predicament. There had to be secrets, Alice and I's gifts are too sacred to be spread so easily.

"Why do I feel so guilty?" I murmured to Alice and with her eyes she let me know that she felt the same. This was our gift, our burden. We wanted to share it but from past experiences of being called crazy, losing friends and even teachers keeping a distance from us... This family was too important to lose; this family was really becoming my family. I couldn't bear to think of them abandoning us too.

Esme told me to get dressed and that she was going to explain to Carlisle the best she could without betraying my trust. Basically, she was going to tell him the truth, without telling him the truth. I was glad she was going after her husband though. I didn't want Carlisle to feel any less a part of our family. Someone needed to stop him from thinking the worst, it was right that it would be Esme.

Alice reached behind her and pulled from the waist band of her jeans a thin book with a library bar code. She handed it over and I read the title as Alice went to her broken closet door. The closing clasp having been torn off, the wood splinted from the force of James pushing or kicking it open, or whatever he did.

The book was called 'To Wake' and at the bottom the front cover of the book had an explanation 'Unconventional Methods Believed to Help Coma Patients Awaken'. I flipped through the thin book.

"I know Edward doesn't want to wake up yet but since he's making it your job to find out how and everything, I thought this might help," Alice explained. She would stay with me when I refused to leave my bed (since I thought I killed Edward and all) and we had spoken often of the possibilities. I had told her that Edward and I would be working together. I guess she assumed this is what I needed to do, unless she had a vision and this led me down the right path to get Edward to get back in his body. I don't remember specifically telling her that he asked me to wake him up when the time was right... Maybe I had talked about it in my sleep?

"Thank you," I told her, meaning it as I placed the book on my end table. I didn't want to talk about it quite yet though. "I was thinking about maybe making lasagna tonight. Would you like to help?" We planned our trip to the grocery store and even spoke of getting a few extra notebooks since school was seriously too close to starting. I didn't feel like I had been given break.

"After dinner, Rose is coming to our room to put her school year plan into motion." I nodded at Alice; I had been wondering when her prediction would come to pass. I probably put a kink in Rosalie's plan since I hadn't been acting myself lately.

Sure enough, after the bare-essentials explanation with Meme at the store, the groceries being put away with everyone's help and a couple hours after the lasagna was eaten -with many compliments of my cooking- there was a soft knock on our bedroom door. Alice called a small 'come in' from her sewing table.

Alice was planning some designs for her prom dress, which I should remind you is months away. School hasn't even started but I had a feeling that she was doing this because of Jasper. I still didn't know what her and Jasper's fight was about or if there was a relationship there and I was anxious for Edward's return so I could know what was happening.

I was still worked up from the spilling-my-guts session with Meme, which really didn't go as bad as I thought it would. I really underestimated Esme's reaction, or rather, over-estimated since she took everything very well. I felt bad for not telling her earlier now; she even liked the idea that Alice had with the book she had picked up earlier.

Rose strolled in, her shoulders slumped and her head downcast. She shut the door behind her and took in our room. I guess this was probably the first time she's seen it. Her eyes studied the indent and hole James had made earlier and her eyebrows came together at the top of her head. Her jeans were frayed at the bottom and her bra straps were showing covered with garage grim, yet she still looked gorgeous.

"Take a seat, there is my bed or Bella's." I was currently journaling so the two desk chairs were taken. I thought I should write down as soon as possible the differences between Edward's vanish-forever-touch and James nothing-happened-touch. I closed it, thinking I should move to the bed so she could have a chair but Alice didn't move either so I followed her lead.

"I'm going to bring you both into my confidence," Rosalie announced, her voice small and the contrast to the usual sure-self Rosalie and this one made me want to keep all her secrets. I wanted to be her friend, too. "I'm not going to threaten you to do so, I just... I need your help and I know this will mean that I owe you. I just, well I thought of everyone I know... and you two are my best bet, the ones who won't judge..."

Rose kept her eyes down, she was barely sitting on the edge of Alice's bed and since she wouldn't look up, she didn't see me and Alice nodding our heads at her. Alice had a grin on her face as she closed her design book.

"Well," Alice began, "we would be glad to help you!"

"Of course," I agreed, thinking that Rose needed our feedback right now.

"I'm adopted," Rosalie reminded us. She raised her head up to look at me and then my sister before closing her eyes, sighing slightly with her shoulders tense. I could practically see what she was thinking. "My cousins are not related to me, we didn't grow up together since the distance was too far. When I was younger they had visited here but their vacation was cut short so we all took a trip down their home a couple months later and we'd get pictures and gifts... but we didn't know each other. We were never really related, although we all got along well."

She stopped her story, her arms crossing and her hands wrapping around her elbows. Her hair was straight and flat, her face had no make-up at all and her jeans were stained with her wife-beater tank top in a similar state. She may have the assets of a woman, but she didn't know how to use them.

"Well," Alice pressured, she wasn't one to have patience. This was something exciting for her and one thing with her gift is she has to wait for everything. Rose glared at the floor before blurting everything out.

"Emmett is the one for me and he doesn't notice me. I'm his cousin to him, we have so much in common and we aren't related but he... God I've given him so many hints and... and... nothing!" She sighed, "Edward knew, and now... well I just need someone to understand."

Alice clapped her hands, Rose's wide eyes came to meet my soft, understanding smile before turning a guarded expression toward Alice. "Well, I know just how to get his attention, we are starting with your eye brows and I really need to show you what I got you when we went to the mall. I was afraid to give it to you before."

Alice rushed away, entering her closet and leaving a bewildered Rose behind.

"What?" She asked me, probably thinking that she made a mistake, which in my opinion, asking Alice to do this was a mistake, or a small miracle, maybe both?

"She's just excited." I shrugged my shoulder as Alice dragged a huge shopping bag out and went back in for something else.

"Why?" Rose's eyes narrowed, suspicious. I wondered if we'd get through the when's, where's and how's too.

"She gets to do the 'real sister' thing. I'm not big on make-up or doing things with my hair. Sometimes I let her dress me, but I'm a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl." Hopefully she didn't take offense since she was being morphed from my kind of girl, to Alice's kind. Although being comfortable with grease wasn't really my kind of girl, honestly.

"Oh." Rose's mouth formed a little circle and the crease between her brows smoothed. "So it's not an inconvenience to teach me the girl things?"

"Absolutely not!" Alice chimed, pulling a second shopping bag from the closet. "I bought you a whole new wardrobe but there is a rule... You can't wear any of these clothes in the garage, you have to change before so you don't stain anything, including your under garments, which we will have to shop for since I didn't know your... um... size." Alice nudged her head to Rose's impressive bust. Rose gave a serious nod and I rolled my eyes.

"You are already my star pupil! Bella would have already told me to shove it!" Alice took a moment to gush over this 'new sister' prospect before going into the bathroom and pulling out the make-up kit.

"You have no idea what you just unleashed," I told Rosalie, shaking my head but she laughed. Rosalie was still laughing nervously when Alice came out of the bathroom with two large plastic make-up bins and a round super-close-up mirror tucked under her arm.

"Laughing gives you wrinkles," Alice chided moving some of the items around on her sewing desk to set it up as a make-up work station. Rosalie stopped and glared again at Alice, who caught the look this time. She pretended to be scared, turning to face Rosalie a couple feet away and put both her hands over her breast.

I smiled and covered my mouth to stifle my laughter. Rose had told us before when threatening us about her garage that she would rip off our nipples. Alice was making fun of her and to my surprise, Rosalie chuckled too. It seemed that Rosalie, although quick to anger was quick to laugh too.

"Now, let's get down to business. I'm going to show you all the outfits and let you know what you can mix and match. You are going to be a knock-out as soon as school starts. We should even drive separately, the guys can go ahead of us and that way we can get the full effect when Emmett sees you." Rosalie nodded, looking apprehensively at all the bags and plastic cases. Alice just wanted to drive the Porsche to school, Rosalie didn't know Alice well enough to pick up on it.

"Are you sure this is going to work? I just... I don't want him to think of me as his cousin anymore... that's all. I don't want a bunch of guys chasing me down or-" Rosalie didn't get to finish, Alice was all over this, trying to speed up the talking processes to get to what she really wanted to do, which is to play Rose-dress-up which sounded so much better than Bella-dress-up.

"Making a guy jealous gets them to realize their true feelings for girl real quick," Alice announced and Rose looked to me for confirmation. I just shrugged.

"I've never had a boyfriend," I told her, my cheeks heating. "So Alice is the one that you should talk to, not that she is an expert, but she is the best choice here." Rose looked so lost, it made me forget how nasty she can get. Maybe that part is over?

"School is in 32 hours, we have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. I'll have to fix you up in the morning for you until you get the hang of everything." Alice dumped the clothes in a pile before she changed her mind. "Maybe instead I should teach you about hair or... make up, and just pick your clothes for awhile... Hmmm."

I shook my head as Alice flitted around her girl items trying to decide where to start. I stood, grabbing my journal and mouthing a 'good luck' to a very nervous looking Rosalie. Alice didn't bother to call after me, knowing I wouldn't be any help anyways. I slipped out, walking toward the library as quietly as possible. It was nearing midnight, but I wasn't tired and since school was approaching I knew I should try to go to sleep but with Rose and Alice in my room, it wouldn't happen. My sleep schedule would be all messed up for school.

Being alone never bothered me, but since my alone time since living here was usually filled with Edward, I didn't feel right. I cursed myself for leaving the 'To Wake' comatose book in my room but decided not to risk going back in case things got out of hand. I should want to help Rosalie, but she asked for it and Alice wouldn't do something that she didn't see working for Emmett and Rosalie.

The hair on my arms rose as I approached the empty fire place. I flipped the switch to make the flames start knowing full well the chill wasn't from the cold but reacting like it was anyways. I tried to act casual; scanning the room but it was all for naught since Edward grinned like the crazy Cheshire cat and opened his arms up for a hug standing right behind me.

I knew we could touch and the thought made me ridiculously ecstatic, but still, tears sprang to my eyes as I stepped forward into his cold hard chest and wrapped my arms around his lean torso.

"I'm so sorry," I told him, my face pressing into his unmoving body which made my nose hurt on top of my eyes burning with tears. "I had no idea! I thought... I thought I killed you! You seemed like you were in so much pain... and I did that, I made you... disappear."

"Shhh," Edward hushed, rocking me back and forth slightly with his stone arms gently holding me to him. "Please don't cry, I'm glad we tried. We might not have ever figured out that we could touch. Or that..." He changed his mind on what he was going to say and went with "Well, whatever that black consciousness thing was, we can do that, too." I froze, his arms loosening like my movements implied that he hurt me.

"Wait... so that... my dreams." I shivered, not wanting to move from Edward but his cold body, the central air in this house and my summer clothes didn't go together well.

"You should really work on either thinking _all _of your thoughts out loud, or letting me inside your head. I prefer the second but I have a feeling you like that I can't hear you." Edward chuckled, his rumbling chest giving me a reason to pull back from him, hit him lightly to shut up and look him in the eyes.

"I didn't think my dreams were real. That blackness, it was trying to take you... does that mean..." I shook my head not wanting to imagine the possibilities of just were that darkness came from, "It felt familiar." Edward nodded, looking away from me with a guarded expression.

We hadn't really pulled away from one another, I was grateful since we had been separated for so long and this touching thing was new. I'd freeze to death if that meant being in his arms forever. I snorted at my own angst-ness. Who knew I was capable of _that_! I really had to work on knowing what I was capable of, and I wasn't talking about my teenage hormones and my apparent clinginess.

What had I really done to Edward? Did I hurt him? Is he hiding his feelings and maybe some information on what actually happened to protect me from feeling guilty or was there something else? He had paused too long when explaining about the blackness. Had I almost killed him? I didn't push Edward but studied him for a moment before his changed the subject.

"Were you hurt?" Edward asked, pulling away from me then, his hands moving to my shoulders to step away and look me over himself, anticipating me to lie. "How long was James alone with you? Did he-"

"I'm fine, you saved me." His hands treated me like porcelain and I wondered if in his spiritual form his strength increased. I wasn't that fragile! "He just said a few things and... He, uh, he smashed my dad's mason jar."

"The one with the dirt from his grave?" Edward winced, his voice dropping, knowing the answer when he met my gaze again. "Is it fixable?" I nodded, my eyes filling again. Edward held me, shushing me again as he told me he was sorry he hadn't stopped him sooner.

"James is getting stronger; I think that means he's getting angrier too," Edward whispered, "I'm not going to leave you now, I can't. We have to find a way to keep me solid, I don't want to fight my... that darkness again." His wording made me pause but I pushed it aside thinking he just slipped up.

"That's where you go when you vanish?" I shivered both from his coldness and the thought of him being trapped there.

"Since you know how to get there now, maybe you can help me out of there quicker. Like you did this time." I just nodded into his chest, thinking about what that familiar feeling darkness could mean and why Edward had to fight against it when he wasn't really dead.

The possibilities were endless and I resented my gift all the more.


	11. Chapter 11

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of the characters I am using for this Fiction. There is no need to sue since this is free and I have a disclaimer. It would be nice to own Edward for a night or two or three though. *wink, wink.* Support Stephanie Meyers and all that!

A/N: Synphilia is the best beta ever! Special thanks to Twilights1fan for spreading the word about my story. You added about 500 extra hits to my story, so that is much appreciated. Thursday is almost Friday right? Two weeks for the next update, please don't shoot me! Toodles.

I simply believe that some part of the human Self or Soul is not subject to the laws of  
space and time.  
-Carl Jung

Chapter Eleven: Almost a Real Boy

"You finished that book last night," Edward complained softly. I had ended up sleeping here in the library but when Carlisle came home around ten this morning, I heard him enter his office and start making calls. His schedule was chaotic; he was paged in since he was the only doctor who did what he did for this small town. I figured he would be able to make his own schedule but he worked around the sick. This made him a good doctor.

I could hear him rather well from this room and I wondered if the wall between his office and the library had been skipped when they did the insulation in this house. Maybe it was because of the back to back fireplace? Either way, I spoke quietly after I realized how easily voices traveled from this room to the other.

"Okay, what book would you like to read? And keep in mind it is _my _shoulder you are reading over." I smiled up at him, finding myself more and more comfortable touching Edward. He had held me all night, it made me feel guilty since he couldn't sleep but it was nice to know that he hadn't left me. I enjoyed it more than I should have and since I knew Edward could one day be truly alive, I let myself know how much I liked him. With the fireplace burning on the one side (it is still summer so I was glad no one else came into the library) and Edward on my other it was a nice balance of temperatures.

Yesterday before I fell asleep on him, we found a way to sit so he could read when I read. I could lean on his chest and prop the book up on my leg and Edward would hold me up, his legs long enough to almost completely curl around me. If I pulled my knees up really close, he could. It was nice that for me, Edward was solid. He was almost a real boy.

"How about something in this century," Edward laughed, I was jealous that he didn't have to be quiet or mindful of the other's that could be listening. I elbowed him, hurting myself more than Edward and he chuckled harder. He snuggled his nose into my neck and I shivered, wondering if he was just being playful or if maybe he was flirting. I guess I needed Alice's expertise too, but if Edward was determined to never vanish again, I wouldn't have the opportunity, plus, she would definitely think about it, and I didn't want Edward to know or feel guilty for unknowingly leading me on.

Our playful banter was cut short as Esme's voice interrupted Carlisle's silence from his study. We both got quiet, not really intending to eavesdrop, more like trying not to be noticed but we couldn't help but listen as they spoke to one another.

"I made muffins. I thought you might like something sweet to break up your day." I smiled to Edward, thinking how nice Esme was and that Carlisle was a really good match for her. I wouldn't have approved someone who didn't deserve Esme, but he spoiled her so I had no complaints. Her wedding present had been an island. I still can't believe it, especially since I hadn't seen it.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Esme asked and I nodded to Edward that we should go. It wasn't right to listen but before I could stand Carlisle spoke.

"Lauren _is _pregnant. She requested I examine her today, she waiting for 40 minutes before I accepted, it was why I was late coming home this morning." Edward's stone body froze and since I was in the center of it, I was trapped. "She's far enough along... Esme, I don't know what to do. If this is the last piece of Edward, if he doesn't make it and this is the only legacy Edward will leave..." There was a pause, Esme's voice too low and muffled to make out.

"I have Edward's DNA on record to check against Lauren's child in the event that Edward dies before the child's birth." I flinched, Edward's hand moving up and down my arm once before going completely and absolutely still again. He didn't even breathe.

"Maybe this is a good thing, then," Meme answered, "Perhaps we can get custody of the child if it turns out to be our grandchild. I'm sure we can pay off Lauren. If the child will be the last thing left of Edward, we should make preparations."

"I don't..." Carlisle stopped and I wished I could see through walls to know what he was doing. "Lauren doesn't have the cleanest reputation, I don't want to get my, yours or our families hopes up. I won't discredit her, not unless I know for sure and I would like to raise the child if it indeed is family." A long sigh and I turned to look at Edward's face, instead of the wall. I shifted in his stone limbs trying to turn around.

Edward was solid with worry lines showing between his brows, he didn't blink, he didn't flinch. I'm sure he could hear more than just their voices and I wondered what thoughts were going through Esme and Carlisle's head that was making Edward focus so intently.

"Just to be safe, we will have to play along with Lauren. At least until the child is born, we'll have a family meeting about it. She hasn't told her parents yet... She asked, she asked that if she is kicked out, if she could stay with us. I told her to wait for a little while longer and we would discuss it." I closed my eyes then, biting my lip wondering how the H. E. Double hockey sticks I would survive that! Had Alice seen any of this happening? Perhaps because the decision hasn't been made she was going in blind too.

"A family meeting would be appropriate. Jasper will be back from practice at 2:00, so maybe even before supper we can all talk about it." There was silence again and when I heard the door open and close from Carlisle's study I opened my eyes and waited for Edward to break the awkwardness forming between us. His not breathing body was freaking me out a little bit, too.

Edward came to life slowly, or rather animated slowly since he was still not quite alive. Our eyes met, his green eyes sprinkled with worry and fear. He let out a long breath and it smelled so wonderful I closed my eyes to savor it. I leaned my head to the side on Edward's shoulder, already turned as far as he had let me so my back was to his right knee in this circle of Edward's arms and legs. The position had made it easier to listen, since I had been trapped here most willingly.

"Carlisle hasn't made up his mind. We have to tell him. Esme is looking for you, she wants to know if Lauren's kid is mine and Alice is sleeping." He let me stand, helping me up and guiding me to the door. "I think we shouldn't tell the others about your gift but... what if we make them come to their own conclusion? They know about gifts from me and... Carlisle's past." I rose my eyebrow but let his last minute change to 'Carlisle's past' pass as he continued, some anxiety leaking into my system just thinking about hinting at my secret 'gift.' "It might take them a bit but it would be more believable if they noticed things for themselves."

I thought of all Edwards problems, the possibility of him not waking up, his family getting their hopes up that Edward may be the father to a child, fighting against his dead brother to save the family he has remaining, and fighting against the familiar darkness I had accidentally sent him too. Then the possibility of Lauren not only getting money from us, but staying at our house pretending that Edward and she had... I shuddered.

"Okay." I was going to spill the beans anyways in room 414 at Carlisle's hospital, if it made Edward happier, if it alleviated some of Edward's stress and problems, I would do it. I would always have Alice and Esme, and who knows, Esme surprised the monkeys out of me when she took everything I told her yesterday so... easily. Maybe the rest of this family will have the same outlook?

"Really?" Edward asked, his eye brows rising as he waited for me to open the door so he wouldn't have to let go of my hand. I hoped that was his reason, but I guess he could just not want to go through the wall, that had to be weird. "I've been asking for you to tell them for awhile and... Well, alright then. Thank you."

We smiled at one another as I opened the door heading toward my room. Having his family know that a part of him was still around could do more harm than good. I hoped he realized this and didn't have unrealistic expectations. Edward being a ghost didn't guarantee that his body would stay alive. Having everyone figuring out I can speak with Edward, that he was still alive in some way, it could hurt them too. It may only give them some time to say their goodbyes.

Perhaps this wouldn't go as smoothly as Edward seemed to believe. I could handle this because I've been handling since the nice little old garden lady ghost who lived next door to us in our first house. The two worlds are supposed to stay separate and not a lot of good has ever come from people messing with the dead.

Edward informed me that Esme already moved downstairs still looking for me but I needed to make a detour. I pushed my door open and pulled Edward along to stand beside my sister's bed. Her half of the room, and some of mine was covered in clothes and some make up containers. Maybe Rose and Alice had a fight and I missed it? I know I wouldn't have taken Alice's abuse for too long. Plus, Rose ran a little hotter than the rest of us.

"Alice!" I howled, her tiny body shooting up and looking around the room. Her eyes narrowed as they found me. "Did you see anything about Lauren coming to live with us?" I hiss-whispered at her, hopefully that didn't sound like I was angry. Well, not angry at her, just mad that Lauren was a preggers money grubbing hungry-hungry-hippo. Alice's eyes widened before closing all together like she was willing a vision to come. "I just overheard Carlisle and Esme-"

"Was it actually Edward who _heard_ the conversation?" I shook my head no, knowing that Edward could hear more than I heard but the subjects and information probably weren't that different. Alice opened her eyes enough to see my answer and sighed. "We're going to have a family meeting about it before dinner."

"I'll find out then, then," Alice groaned before falling back and pulling the covers over her head.

"I'm going to hint at being able to see Edward," I whispered, leaning in but not too close since her breath is monstrous in the mornings. She wasn't being very forth coming with her information and I wondered what was bothering her. I hope I hadn't missed more than just Rosalie's explosion last night.

"Keep holding your hand out like that, they will notice," Alice chided, a little laugh escaping her blanket as I reluctantly let go of Edward. The electricity between us snapped and I rubbed my sad hand with my other one sheepishly looking at Edward. We couldn't touch all the time then... This whole I'm-the-only-one-that-can-see-Edward-thing sucks.

"So you don't see anything bad happening or-" I didn't get very far since Alice shot back up and glared.

"They will all figure it out, it will take a little bit but surprisingly Rose is going to find out soon and she's going to be pissed at you for awhile but keep your secret since you are going to keep hers. Jasper will be next and then Emmett, he'll be the hardest one to convince but then he'll never leave you alone. Carlisle will be last and he'll be understanding, yadda... yadda... yadda." I stuck my tongue out at her and pouted before leaving her behind.

"You don't have to be so grouchy in the morning," I told her, facing the hallway from the door as I left our room. Edward followed, touching me again on the arm as I made my way down the stairs. If I stumbled was Edward able to stop me from falling? It seemed like that was what he was preparing for with his hand like that on my arm.

Esme was in the living room and she hugged me before saying a word. I knew she was really tense about things since she jumped into what she was doing with the house. The carpet was already pulled out and the furniture after being arranged a few times had disappeared sometime in the last couple days I'd been wallowing in self pity and too self absorbed to notice.

"-more windows, I think the whole back wall should be windows and between the dining room and kitchen I'm going to take out that wall and put a glass sliding door and build a deck. We could have cook outs and those god awful Texas saloon style half doors are coming out today!" I rolled my eyes at Meme, she didn't notice still going on and on about the 'foyer' which is apparently the living room and her new furniture she ordered. We had donated the other sets, both Carlisle's and ours. We were all about sharing the wealth and all that.

"She doesn't want to have to find a room for Lauren and Carlisle already told her she can't have my room. He won't give it to her without knowing who the child's father is." Edward elaborated and I wondered for a moment if Edward's bedroom would be easily broken into or pad locked. I would break into it later having deduced that the bedroom I was offered across the hall had to be his. Why hadn't I thought about this earlier? Maybe Edward didn't want me to go into his room?

"It's not Edwards," I told her, Rosalie exiting the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn just in time to hear my proclamation. Meme stopped pointing and elaborating to look at me. Rose's eyebrows rose and I looked from her to Meme three times before Rose shrugged and continued on her way going up the stairs. Who eats popcorn before noon? Esme and I waited until it was clear but still went into the kitchen to talk more privately.

If I kept this up, everyone would know sooner than I wanted them too.

"How can we tell the others? Carlisle... he's talking about the Lauren girl possibly moving in with us until he knows for sure! With you and what's happening that can't happen!" Meme's hands wrung together before she brought her pinkie nail up her mouth to bite it shorter. It was the only nail she could never grow out to match the others. "Maybe we should tell Carlisle."

"I already asked Alice, he finds out last. Edward and I decided that it would be best if everyone figured it out for themselves. Although, I'm fairly certain that Rose is going to tell Jasper… she's the first to find out."

"What about Emmett?" Meme's eyebrows came together. I shrugged, looking to Edward.

"He's going to follow you around, remember what Alice told you?" He reminded me of what she said. I nodded and quirked my eyebrow, maybe this wasn't such a good idea? Emmett might not take this so well. He had spoke of fate and everything in the hospital but what would happen if everyone knew for sure that there was an after-life? How would Emmett react knowing his brother was a ghost? I suppose it is better thinking that your brother is dead meat lying in a hospital room. At least some part of him is able to move around and be alive-ish.

"He's third, he will follow me around and enjoy speaking with his brother most likely. It's going to be annoying, and I think he will be alright with it." I paused wondering if I should tell Esme about Carlisle's past. I turned to Edward again, wishing he could read the thoughts I wanted him to read.

"Remember what you told me in the study?" I asked, knowing it is rude to ask in front of Meme but there weren't many options. I couldn't leave the room and come back to finish up our talk, I think that would be worse. I needed to carry around a notepad and write to Edward. That would also give the family a pretty big hint on what I'm doing.

"That might be a good idea," Edward mumbled, looking out into the living room. I shivered thinking that Edward heard my notebook thoughts, but remembered he was agreeing to tell Esme about Carlisle's college days. I followed Edward's gaze and found Alice there tugging at her short hair and glaring at the de-carpeted floor.

"Alice is in a bad mood," I whispered to Esme as I made myself look natural by cozying up to the breakfast bar. I turned to Edward, wanting to know what the French is up with my sister and if it had anything to do with Jasper. I wasn't above kicking some scrawny step-brother behind.

"Are you sure Edward isn't... Is he here?" Meme asked, her voice low and face heated. Was she embarrassed? I nodded and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, if you two are getting close... maybe he's afraid to tell you the truth?"

What? Meme knew I was crushing on Edward, how did she figure that out? All thoughts of spilling the beans on Carlisle passed. She thought Edward may have a crush on me too and was lying so I'd still like him? That was the farthest thing from my mind, I was more worried about James trying to kill me and starting a new school with crazy money hungry psychos. Of course, now that she mentioned that, maybe Edward was too embarrassed to tell me about having sex with Lauren.

"I told you we did stuff, I probably would have slept with her." Edward shrugged, giving me his cute shameful face where his lips pursed together and eye brows furrowed. "I would be embarrassed to tell you, if it had happened but not enough to disown a child or to have you tell Esme about all this." I smiled at him, before turning back to Esme.

"Nope," I popped the P and brought my hand under my chin. "He's embarrassed that he dated her and did stuff, but he didn't sex her up." Meme chided me for my expression but nodded. Wait... since Edward was embarrassed to tell me, did he like-like me? God, I sounded like a third grader!

"Coffee..." Alice groaned grabbing a coffee cup from their new position above the coffee pot. I am still glad I'd 'faked' sick and got out of kitchen re-organizing duty. Alice had made me feel guilty but she just got to shop so all was even.

I didn't feel like coffee today, having had a good night sleep and waking up the best way possible, in Edward's arms. Esme grabbed two muffins off the plate on the stove and handed one over and placed the other in front of the seat next to me. Although I had forgotten all about Carlisle's past, Alice hadn't. Edward really was becoming a big distraction here, that wasn't a good thing since mine and my family's lives were at risk, I mean our family.

"Carlisle's special topic for his thesis while getting his doctorate had been about gifted individuals and the genetic possibility of special mutations." Alice wasted no time inserting herself into our conversation. Had she even said good morning to either of us? What did I expect though; she knew how to get people where they needed to be so her visions happened how they should happen. And, Alice had a problem with patience which is ironic since she has to wait for everything. Her gift made sure of that.

Edward sighed beside me and I turned to him. "I'll tell you later," He muttered, running his hand through his hair making my mouth water. I turned to my muffin trying to make the blush on my cheeks calm down and never come back, hopefully.

"Really?" Esme asked, moving to stand on the other side of the breakfast bar, leaning over it as Alice and Edward sat down on either side of me. "So he already believes, we've talked about the possibilities before, its how we met in the first place at that convention."

"Trust me, he knows gifts exist," I told Meme, Alice already knowing about Edward. I took a bit of my muffin and Edwards arm wrapped around my back. I stilled, surprised at his forward action but writing it off as him wanting that electricity back or him feeling like he was slipping into that darkness again and wanted me to help him stay. We had talking about me being able to keep him from fading… this seemed a little excessive though. He could have just touched my arm.

"What?" Meme began to raise her voice before remembering this was private and lowered her voice at the end. Alice sipped her coffee like nothing happened and I blushed even harder, more because neither Alice nor Esme knew that I was almost cuddling with a boy neither of them could see.

"Don't tell her," Edward whispered, bringing his cold nose in contact with the shell of my ear. I shivered and Alice took over the conversation.

"He wouldn't have been so into it, nor would he have picked that research topic unless he had a strong feeling about people being gifted." Alice elaborated, her thin shoulders almost hunched together. I furrowed my eyebrows at Edward for him to give me some answers but he just shook his head. I turned back to Meme before I realized that Edward and I were close enough to understand each other with just a look, we had true non-verbal communication.

Whoa.

I had a crush on the guy and he was getting (really) comfortable with me but to understand each other with just a look? That was something only Alice and I could do. Occasionally Esme could do it too. Edward and I were getting closer and closer. Is that a good thing? I think so, I just had to make sure that Edward woke up and that we succeeded in getting James to move on. One thing at a time though, and right now, we had to deal with Esme and Carlisle not letting Lauren move in.

"Well how do we stop Lauren?" I asked, hoping to get Meme back on the right train of thought. Thinking too much about the supernatural world was just upsetting. Edward turned his torso to face me and scooted forward on his stool so that each of his knees were on either side of me. His arm on my back didn't move and his face stayed pressed into my hair, his other arm coming up to rest on the granite breakfast bar.

What was happening? Is this was Edward normally did with girls?

I stayed as still as possible, noticing the temperature of the breakfast bar and Edward were very similar, Edward might have been colder. My face was burning and Esme looked at me a little too long with her eyebrows high.

"You smell delicious." Edward whispered and his cool breath down my neck sent me straight out of my stool and out of Edward's embrace. What the chicken-crap is he thinking? I shuddered, Meme the only one concerned for me since Alice stayed facing the fridge.

"You don't want her to move in, do you?" Meme asked, her face tense. I hadn't been listening to a thing either of them had been talking about. Of course not, I guess I reacted at the very worst moment in her conversation? I turned to Edward and his half smile made me glare and my insides melt. This wasn't fair.

"Absolutely not! I won't be the only one against it. We shouldn't get involved with her at all. The baby will be proven not to be Edwards." I turned to exit the kitchen, stumbling once when I tripped over the little bump of floor where the beginning of the ripped out carpet started. I told Meme that it wasn't Edward's child, my work here was done.

Edward shouldn't torment me, especially like that. It was rude and cruel!

"Bella?" Meme and Edward called together but I ignored them and turned toward the stairs. Alice muttered something and I hoped she was telling Esme to leave me be. Lauren wouldn't move in with us, we didn't even know if her parents were going to kick her out when they found out. "Bella!" Edward called again, his voice a bit higher in pitch than normal.

I was half way to my room when Edward caught up to me, his arm coming up close and missing me. A chill from him being so close making goose flesh spread across my arm. We were friends right now, and semi-siblings. The crush thing I had was just getting in the way and if he wanted me to keep fighting it we had to keep things friend-like. He shouldn't enjoy messing with me, making me blush and distracting me from important conversations! Although, I'd have to tell him about my crush in order for him to really get it... Gah! Couldn't teenage life be simple?

I reached the top of the stairs, stopping since out of the corner of my eye Edward was far enough away for me to glare. He didn't move, he was a statue again. His arm up in the same position he had been when he attempted to grab me. I turned back to him worried that something was happening to him. I remembered the hospital room and his face before he vanished. This was different so I let out a breath. I waited but he still didn't move so I looked behind and around me for something that could have surprised Edward and bracing myself to see James.

Nothing, nothing was happening. So why is he freaking?

"What?" I asked him, worried again that maybe he was internally struggling that darkness I'd dreamt about. I stepped toward him, going down the stairs as Rosalie comes down the hall, her bowl half full of popcorn. She paused at the top of the stairs like I had for Edward.

"What is wrong with you?" Rosalie asked and I shrugged, turning to face the wall so I could see both Edward and Rosalie on either side of me.

"Did the whole Alice thing not work out?" I asked her, and she shrugged, her tense shoulders dropping an inch.

"She's crazy, but I'd like to try again, with you there this time." Rose looked away for a moment, I think nervous about asking me for help too. "Can you hold her back a bit? I think she was just fucking with me when she did my make-up. I looked weird and more like a clown than anything else!" My eye twitched at her curse word and she noticed. "Oh, right, you don't curse." She walked down the stairs going through Edwards shoulder as she passed. He didn't even flinch, still in the same position.

"I guess we can try again tonight?" I just nodded, looking at Edward again as she walked to the kitchen, looking at me strangely again from the messed up living room area. I was just standing on the steps, I hoped she hadn't heard me ask Edward 'what?'. Well, I guess Rose is going to be the first one to find out about my gift. This seemed like the first step to her figuring out that I was talking to someone who wasn't really there or rather, someone they couldn't see. Edward was most definitely here. Alice warned me that she would be upset about it at first. I had to let her cope with this in her own way.

Edward looked me in the eyes then, his hand animating and coming close to my face. I forgot about what happened in the kitchen with his overly-forward touches because of his strange behavior. His cold fingers grazed across my cheek, his whole body relaxing after the electricity returned between us. His green eyes closed in relief and again I wanted to know what the heck was going on but it had been too close of a call with Rose to say anything right now. We needed to get off the stairs since Rose would be coming back up sometime soon. She received enough hints today.

I grabbed Edward's hand from my cheek and pulled him up the rest of the stairs. He became flexible again walking behind me silently until the door of my room closed. I dropped his hand when I turned to face him, his expression blank until he brought his hand up to my arm before we touched.

"Didn't you notice?" He asked, his voice low as his eyes searched mine, studying one of mine, then the other.

"What?" I whispered it, wondering if it was a secret he heard from Rose... If she figured it out before she showed herself in the hall. Had she heard something? We had advance warning that she was going to find out and be upset about it.

"I passed through you, Bella... I couldn't touch you." Edward copied my volume his hushed velvet voice chilling me as he moved closer, his cheek coming up to press against mine. "What if... what if we can only touch for a little while?" I shivered, pressing myself closer to Edward's nook, the junction between his neck and shoulder.

Was our connection fading? I didn't feel it changing.

"No," I said pulling back my eyes wide. "I think it was because I didn't want you to touch me." I had been irritated, I had been angry that he had been touching me inappropriately. I couldn't believe it, a slow smile spread across my face. I wasn't totally helpless!

I did have some control over spirits!


	12. Chapter 12

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except a stuffed bunny named Quakers. Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyer's, buy her books and stuff.

A/N: My Beta Synphilia is amazing! She makes my stories complete! Thanks for all my reviews! I don't respond to many of them, but I do read all of them. Bottom line: You're great!

I'm taking a break until school starts. I'm still writing, I'm still reading all the wonderful reviews but I've had a heat stroke and landed myself in the hospital. It's kind of put things in perspective a bit. It's kind of taken a toll on my inspiration and such. I'm sorry, I will be back before you know it though! (August 28th is the first day of school so see you around then!)

"Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy."

- Nora Ephron

Chapter 12:

"It's not working." I sighed, Edward burying his nose in my nook again. His chilly breath always did weird things to me, I'd get flushed and my skin would become extra sensitive. I pushed all the foreign sensations away and tried to think about other things.

We were in my room, Alice was sketching in her journal and ignoring me, well us. That was rather insensitive to the invisible. We were trying to be quiet, she was still in a bad mood but I was giving her space. I'd told her when she came in what Rose had seen and maybe heard. And that Rose was planning on coming again for the makeover thing (take two) after dinner. Alice and I had also decided to talk things through afterward so I'd finally get to know why my sister has been acting so strangely.

"I'm getting you used to this so I can touch you in public." Edward's voice muffled in my hair and I shivered. I would never get _used _to this electric pulsing thing and chill of his touch. That would be impossible, but honestly trying is really amazing. Besides if he kept this up and did this in public I'd be upset. It was hard enough keeping him a secret the best I could. I didn't need to be flushed and short breathed while talking or meeting anyone new, especially at school tomorrow.

"You will not do this in public, Edward. Besides, I thought we were testing my spirit abilities!" We were trying to get me in control and more aware of things I could do with and to ghosts. Edward is my only willing and partially dead guinea pig. So far, nothing. Maybe Edward passing through me was just a fluke, a onetime thing.

"That too." He chuckled, his fingers trailing down my bare arm. Edward was enjoying this too much.

"Alice and Jasper almost kissed in the hospital cafeteria before you touched me." Why did Edward just blurt that out? Alice and Jasper had left together, had Alice known what was going to happen or had it been a last minute thing for Jasper? I turned to look at the back of my sister's head, her shoulders hunched together and her tiny ankles crossed at her desk chair.

She'd been in a bad mood. She'd been simultaneously avoiding and picking fights with Jasper for awhile. Alice wasn't one to share until she was ready; she liked to figure things out, process before she jumped into ranting about someone and possibly saying something she would regret later. Like I said before, Alice is a far better person than I am and probably ever will be. I buckle under too much whereas Alice takes a step back. Although I suppose it isn't fair that she gets a heads up and I have to deal with things normally.

Regardless, I wanted to ask her now and I couldn't.

I glared at Edward, I'd just told him I am giving her space and he had to tell me! He may be able to spread people's gossip but he just messed up the flow between my sister and me. He reached up and his fingers passed through my hand. I shivered, oh shits! It did happen when I was irritated or upset!

"Your emotions are key, I think, but did you feel anything when it changed? Is there anything else you can do to be more in control?" How could Edward do that? Piss me off and then get me to forget about it in the next second? I shook it off and thought. The last time on the stairs I had been pissed enough to actually be thinking about not wanting Edward to touch me like that. He had been touching me more than he had before in front of my mother and sister. This time, I was just mad he invaded my sister's privacy and told me. After he knew that Alice and I were going to talk about it later. I hadn't thought about him touching me, I guess it could just because Edward angered me...

"Alice, make me mad." I touched Edwards arm, he moved to the side so I could see my sister. She dropped her pencil and glared at me.

"Do you think I have nothing to work out here? I don't have time to help you play touch-y touch-y with your wanna be boyfriend!" What. the. pretzel. crunch? I glared back and my hand on Edwards shoulder shimmered through him. Oh. I dropped my glare and gave a weird smile. Wait, did she fake that, or was that real? I couldn't tell, she picked up her pencil and started scratching away again in her journal.

"So when I'm mad, we can't touch each other." It didn't matter who I was angry with, Edward took the brunt of it. That made me kind of melancholic. It wasn't Edwards fault and wouldn't be Edwards fault some of the times. If I was upset and Edward needed me to keep him here when he felt himself beginning to fade, he wouldn't be able to touch me and keep himself grounded. I had to keep myself from getting angry just in case. I wasn't sure I would be able to find him again in my dreams, I didn't want to take the chance so I had to figure out a way to either distract myself from the anger or avoid anything that could make me angry.

One problem... James really made me mad, yet he could touch me and so could Edward when he had thrown me. Maybe I was more afraid and in shock over my father's mini-memorial being gone that I hadn't been focusing. I'd have to channel anger, but maybe James was an exception because he could touch things that normal ghosts couldn't?

"You're adorable when you're angry, your nose crinkles and your cheeks flush." I cringed, dropping my gaze. Did I ever not blush? Seriously, why did I get these red-faced genetics? Of course I was counting the times Edward complimented me so I added another tally to the 'Edward-likes-me' mental chart I was keeping. To protect my ego I also told myself that this could be a chart showing how nice Edward was, that he could see me as his genetically twisted step-cousin who could see the dead and needed as many friends as possible. Also, right now I was the only option for Edward. I sighed before remembering something from earlier.

"Oh, can I break into your room later?" I asked Edward, smiling big as I faced him. He could touch me again since staying mad was never a trait of mine, so we clasped hands. Both of us skimmed over the 'wanna be boyfriend' comment from Alice. Was that because we both wanted that, or because it seemed too ridiculous to Edward to even comment on? Usually Edward doesn't pass up an opportunity to make me feel uncomfortable. I think he enjoyed making me blush, so it was out of character for Edward to forget about it. God, something else for me to give myself an aneurysm over, _honestly!_

If I wanted to put myself out of my misery I should just ask him. 'Hey, I know our lives are in danger and a lot is going on right now with your spirit and all that, but do you like-like me? No pressure since we're semi-siblings now and all that, but your breath makes me tingle all over and I dream about you every night.' Yes, that sounded wonderful.

"Oh, are you going to wait until night time and ninja walk across the hall?" I snorted, not bothering to comment and grinned up at him again. He hadn't said no, but that wasn't exactly a yes. At least he was acting normal again and making fun of me. "The door is unlocked you know, no break in required. Although I can put up a fight if you want the real criminal experience."

"That might be fun." I imagined Edward haunting his own room. I almost giggled at the thought of Edward floating in the center of a nondescript room eerily saying 'stay oooout.' I would have furthered our joke but my sister let out a small groan and dropped her pencil. I turned to look, she was still tense, her shoulders still hunched and her head hung. I needed to help her, she may not be coming to me this time, but I still had my sisterly duty to fulfill.

I side stepped him, walked over to Alice's side to flop down on her bed sitting close to the head board and facing my sister. He seemed perplexed by my movements, his eye brow arching. I needed to think over Edward's behavior and deal with Alice, she needed me right now, she just didn't really know it yet.

"I should warn you, I think a lot of my things have been boxed up. Carlisle started before you decided you wanted to share a room with Alice. It's all there, just packed." Edward didn't know what I was doing; he walked closer to me and gave my sister a small sideways glance. I'd dig through the boxes; I didn't mind that at all. I've been dealing with boxes since before we moved in here. I would get to explore Edward, I'd find out something with every mini-adventure and box. Maybe I'd get to make fun of him for once. I gave a little smile and turned to my sister, we needed to talk and Alice needed to be on her 'A' game when school started tomorrow.

I couldn't warn Edward what was about to happen. He couldn't read my mind but I had to come clean. Edward had crossed the line to make me angry so in order for me to get my sister back in the game, especially for tomorrow, we had to start talking and that started with my confession of what I knew.

"Edward told me you almost kissed Jasper. He just did it to make me mad for betraying your trust." Alice sighed, placing her pencil in the spine of her journal, again. "It helped with the exploring what I can do thing, but I had to tell you." She didn't answer, she stared for a couple second and I thought maybe she was having a vision.

"Ouch." Edward winced, "well she doesn't hold back, does she." He gave me a quick glare and rolled his eyes. I directed a sorry half smile at Edward wondering what Alice was ranting at Edward in her head. I wasn't sorry for telling on him. Alice is my sister, I couldn't withhold that! She'd be bottle up what happened for too long.

"Tattle tale!" Edward directed at me before continuing. "I'll just go in the hall, see what Emmett is up too. I'll be in listening range." Edward gave me a crooked smile and a small wave as he phased through the wall.

"He left, you can stop mentally cursing him now." Alice nodded, still not looking at me. I waited and waited. Perhaps she wasn't ready yet? I still didn't move as Alice stared into the spine of her notebook, her tiny fingers trembling. When Alice had been upset about Jasper she pushed that aside to deal with me, when I had thought I had killed Edward's soul. When I was back to being emotionally healthy, Alice wasn't ready to talk about it. Now was right, she would let me help her now, I just had to wait.

She moved so slow, pushing her chair back, flipping her book closed and finding her way to my lap. It was like she was on auto pilot and the remote controls were lagging. Alice put her head on my thigh and started to cry, curling herself close to me. I shifted my back against her headboard and my leg surrendered to her mercy as her arms wrapped around it when I brought it up on the bed. She looked even smaller as she started her story.

"I hadn't meant too." She sniffled out, her voice taking on the just-out-of-bed scratch as her throat thickened with tears. "He tried to kiss me and I freaked. We're related you know?" She gasped a little. "I knew I liked him but I didn't know how much, not until I saw him get back together with Maria." She wiped her damp face and nose on my pants. Her now stuffed nose making a horrible inhaling noise that sounded like a hacking dog.

"I wasn't lying when I told Rose making someone jealous was the best way for someone to realize how much they like the other." She took a deep ragged breath as I brushed my fingers through her hair. Her gripped tightened around my leg. "I thought if I pushed him away... I thought... I'd just get over it or something. We're family now... I didn't know I liked him enough to get passed the family thing! I didn't know I wanted him so much, not until..." She shivered but I never slowed my gentle tugging at her dark short strands.

"Maria is awful!" Her sobs doubled, her shoulders shaking me and the headboard started making soft little taps on the wall. She was tiny but her forceful sobs were making it hard to stay still. "She's really pretty too; she has the biggest boob's I've ever seen! I can't compete with that! I'm barely an A cup!"

Alice had always been self-conscious of her smallness. She was confident when she had on an amazing outfit but it was to compensate for her tiny boobs. I'd told her many times that her round bottom was perfect, that she just needed to find an ass-man. Besides, boobs were boobs; a guy wasn't going to turn down a feel, ever. I just jumped over that, knowing she didn't want to be told how much Maria sucked or that she had a rockin' tushy. Or, at least not yet. We'd get to the girlfriend bashing much later.

"Are they together yet, or do you just see that?" I used my mother voice, the calm one that usually worked when Alice worked herself up to such an extent. I was worried that Alice had been burying herself in the future, trying to change it and failing... My own eyes filled, I hoped she hadn't forgotten about the present.

"She goes to his practices!" She sobbed, her nose rubbing across my thigh again. "They call each other almost every night now. They broke up before summer and at this rate they'll be back together before school starts!" I shushed politely, coming up with a plan to get her to relax.

"Maybe he's upset you turned him down, maybe he just turned to her in response to your rejection." Alice shivered; I bent over her to throw her purple comforter that matched mine over her shoulders and her fetal position body. "Perhaps tomorrow when you go to school, you can try and get your man back too?" I could imagine both Rosalie and Alice turning heads as they walked down the hall. "Talk to him, tell him you want to try, that you just freaked out."

Alice slowly released my leg, her face rubbing against my jeans one last time to clean up her tears before she pushed onto her stomach. She looked up at me, her arms crossing across her chest, her eyes wide and glistening with after-crying clearness. I dropped my hand from her hair; my sisterly duty was coming to a close. My eyes brimmed over, my sister's pain becoming mine as I looked at her face.

"I can't see anything. I've been staring at my journal, I've been trying to dream even sleeping in longer and trying to sketch anything! Jasper is blocked somehow." Her eyes implored me to have the answers she's needed. "I've tried distracting myself, I've tried focusing on just them... All I get is Maria! Where is Jasper, why can't I see him anymore?"

My lips moved in a watery smile. See, she was just seeing what Maria had planned and if Alice didn't step in, she would succeed. Alice still had a shot, a big one if Jasper has tried to kiss her without knowing how she felt. Alice just needed to talk to him; she wouldn't though if she didn't see how it would end up for her. She needed to go with her heart and not her gift on this one. I didn't know how to make her see that, so tried something else.

"Maybe it works like mine a little bit? Your emotions are getting in your way." I moved my other leg to extend on the bed. "Maybe you should try, not trying?" Alice's eyes widened, she moved up on her hands to fold her legs underneath her. Her blanket was pulled around her, her hands gripping the edges. The trembles had stopped and I felt like a good sister for a moment. "Talk to him Alice, tell him you're sorry."

Alice used the blanket to wipe at her cheeks and handed me the other edge for me to clean off my face too. I took it, and after we were both tear free, we hugged, which turned into cuddling as we laid down.

"Thank you," Alice whispered.

"Don't mention it, just doing the sister thing." An urge to include Rosalie came and wondered how the three of us could end up cuddling on this twin bed. Wait, did Rose have a bigger bed? I faced Alice and she nodded. She wasn't psychic-less, she just couldn't see what her relationship with Jasper was like.

"Rose would like that very much. Oh, and she's on to you. It started with her seeing the dent in the wall." I just shrugged; I couldn't wait to share with her what I felt for Edward. Maybe she would have some insight into how to get Edward to like me. Of course he'd hear her thinking about that. His gift really sucked for me.

"We'll go over in a second, Esme is coming upstairs. She made us tomato-mayonnaise-swiss sandwiches." Oh yum! I giggled, Meme must have known something was up with Alice too. "It's a secret, okay? This weird inter-family thing is still freaking me out a bit."

"Of course." I grinned, "Besides, I don't think Esme would believe it." Alice's wide eyes met mine. Yes, I just made fun of you, dear sister. She'd told me that Esme wouldn't believe the truth about Edward and James but she took it so well. "Oh, and I shall be paying attention to how much attention Jasper gives your butt. I'll keep a tally for you and let you know at the end of the day tomorrow."

The door to our room opened and Meme came in with a plate of yummy-ness. We sat up together Meme's back to us as she placed the plate on my desk. She hadn't seen our tear stained faces so we waited. Hopefully she wouldn't worry even more after she figured out we'd just had a cry-fest. Back at our old house, Esme would have been invited with a tub of 'Moose Tracks' ice cream.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Both mine and Alice's backpacks were stacked against our dresser. Our summer essays, or rather, both of my summer essays were completed and each put in one. We had our notebooks and our schedules. We were starting our junior year; Rose, Jasper and Emmett were seniors. So the only time we were all together was lunch.

Alice and I would have English, Art and Cooking together. Out of eight classes that wasn't great but we would make friends and Angela had to be in some of them. Plus, we'd still have lunch. I wasn't sure if Alice and I would be sitting alone or not. I hoped Angela would join us, I'm sure Rose, Emmett and Jasper had their own group and since no one's mentioned being together at school besides Rose riding with us... It probably meant we were on our own.

"Yes, Alice even has a few outfits for me to decide from," I told her, my voice tight but probably a lot better than Alice's. Meme looked over at us then, her face worried. She put the cans of pop down she had tucked under her arm, forgetting about the food to focus on us.

"I just see this school not being very different," Alice murmured, lying to Meme. I didn't say anything although I did think that after she took everything I had told her so well, we should give her more credit and confide in her. It didn't seem like Alice was fibbing, just diverting the real problem. Well great, this school really wouldn't be much different.

"Oh, girls. You'll make friends, I know you will." I gave Meme a smile in response. She still wanted us to be and have as normal lives as much as possible. "Besides, you'll always have me and each other." I gave Alice a quick elbow to the side and got off her bed. I wanted my sandwich and fist pick of the cans of pop.

"Thanks for lunch," I told her as she went over to Alice to rub her back. I grabbed a napkin and a sandwich, taking a bite. It was delicious! Meme just knew how to make me happy, food. I ignored them as they spoke quietly about school. I'm sure I was supposed to be in the conversation but I didn't want to partake in actively or elaborately lying to Esme since I am already being forced to passively do it.

"When you get back from school tomorrow, the whole house will be different. I have two contractors to get the hard wood floors in and we're planning how to do the window's in the kitchen and the dining room with the deck." Esme elaborated, telling us she'd be starting work next week. That she's going in Tuesday to meet the staff, being shown her office and the ropes.

Meme left to deliver the others lunches. I knew she didn't feel like it was her job to do all the "mom" stuff but she liked it. She never really had a chance to have a child of her own. This was her way of making up for her own loss. Alice and I were partially at fault. If we hadn't been around, Meme might have moved on and started her own family after Dad passed. Carlisle didn't have any of his own children either, I wondered for a moment if he felt lacking.

"I have a feeling that you should tell Rose about Jasper." Alice shot up, glaring at me like I'd betrayed her.

"She'll tell her brother!" Man, Alice was really grouchy when she couldn't see what would happen with each step she took.

"No, not with her and the big guy she told us about. She shared with us, I can't really share yet, but you can. I won't say anything, but I think she might feel better about getting help from you, if she can help you back." Alice stared for a moment, looking right at me, but not seeing me. This time I knew she was having a vision.

"Jasper?" I asked, hopefully. My sister snapped out of it some, her head shaking as she looked up at me.

"Carlisle wants to DNA test Lauren's baby now, but she won't let him. She's not allowed to move in, from the discussion we will be having later, unless she submits to one, and she won't." Alice's face turned sympathetic. "This dinner talk thing, it's not going to go that bad. Now let's go include our new step-sister. I need to give her this starter's kit anyways." She pointed to a makeup bag on her desk.

"Is she really going to-" I didn't get far before Alice jumped in.

"She wanted me to make her one. She'll need my help until she gets the hang of it, but it will be fun in the mornings before school to dress everyone up." I didn't bother arguing. In the mornings it didn't seem worth it, I just put on whatever Alice wanted me to normally. I just honestly didn't care enough when it was that early. She took advantage of that and usually woke me up before my alarm anyways.

Alice grabbed the plate of sandwiches; mine had a few bites missing with her unopened can of pop under her arm. I picked my own back up, and followed Alice toward Rosalie's room. I looked over Edward's door as I closed our own behind me. I kept an eye out for Edward, still nervous about dinner even though I knew the Lauren situation wouldn't come to play out, at least, not how she wanted it to be. She wouldn't win, it was unfortunate that she became pregnant but she shouldn't be using Edward being in a coma as a weapon to get money. Or a free room or a place in this family, or getting everyone's hopes up that Edward might have passed on his genetics.

I had to knock, since Alice's hands were full and after a moment Rose grumbled a response. My sister and I shrugged at one another. Had that been a come in? I sipped my pop, getting ready to knock again when her door swung open.

Rose was disheveled, her hair all disarrayed. She must have just gotten up and had yet to push a brush through the strands. Her pajamas were simple, boxer shorts and a tank top; I noticed immediately that she didn't have a bra on. She must be cold.

"Your girls are happy to see us," Alice commented, brushing past Rose without an invitation. She placed our plate next to the one Meme had brought up. I'd seen her earlier awake and with popcorn, she must be a napper then. I was waved in with a little head nudge and Rose closed the door behind us.

Rose had a double bed, a desk, her own television with a blue-ray and DVD player. She had a whole system. While I was distracted by the potential movie dates we should be having, Alice was fussing over the clothes Rose had left in the bags.

"You can't leave them like this, they'll get all wrinkled." Alice dumped the first bag of clothes as I took another swig of my caffeine in a can. This was just going to be great, exactly what I wanted to do the day before school. Note sarcasm. I grabbed my bitten sandwich, plopped down on Rose's massive, still slightly warm bed and watched. I nibbled as Rose went to her desk with the 'starter kit' Alice had made her and started opening her drawers. Alice divided up clothing items and rearranged her small closet space. The door beside Rose's desk is probably her bathroom. Rose didn't hesitate as she dumped the bag into the top drawer. Alice turned to her, her eyes narrowed.

"You did not, not, just do what I think you just did," Alice threatened. Rose's wide eyes turned to me for help. Really? I am only here to be a buffer between these two? Oh, _please!_ I groaned wishing Edward could come save me. I'd escaped last time, I couldn't do it again.


	13. Chapter 13

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I do own a pair of knock off converse with purple leopard prints, I do not own, or have anything to do with Twilight. Buy Stephanie Meyer's books and products.

A/N: This could have been broken up into two chapters, but I like you guys... so be happy for the bonus! Synphilia is the best beta ever!

"Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate."

_~ Ambrose Bierce_

Chapter Thirteen:

I tightened my backpack straps, my fingers shaking as I brought one of my hands up to brush through my long hair once more. Alice and I had English together first period, hopefully that would help calm my nerves before we had to separate. It wasn't about Alice's visions, it was just the newness, the fact that James could be following and harm anyone, that Lauren was already spreading rumors and... maybe, I admit, a bit of Alice's visions. I was expecting disaster, Mike's angry face that Alice drew in her journal kept flashing in my head.

"Calm down, you're going to survive _high school!_" Edward mocked, coming up and side swiping my shoulder with a soft play punch. "Are you going to be dramatic school girl all day? Please don't be another Jessica." I rolled my eyes, looping both my thumbs under each strap.

"Did you remember the note book?" I half glared at him. He was egging me to respond. I had to remember not to talk to him, that I had to write to him when around others. Now, I didn't have my notebook in my hands, so Edward was pushing me. "You do look amazing, might I say?"

My cheeks flushed, Alice was still tending to Rose upstairs. She finished with me quickly, already having a deal of only picking my clothing and leaving me to my hair, no makeup. So, I was put on look out. Once Jasper and Emmett take off, I'd get Alice and Rose and we'd follow. I was sitting on the steps since in the living room all the furniture is gone for the hardwood floor men coming today. Breakfast was done and eaten before we dressed.

"You sure you don't want to ride with us?" Jasper asked, I turned to watch both Jasper and Emmett come out of the kitchen, the doors having been removed as Esme said she would yesterday. She may have broken them in tiny pieces and burned them in the back yard too... but I knew nothing about that if Carlisle asked.

"Nah, go on, Alice takes this kind of thing very seriously." They both grabbed their bags on the way out. Jasper had a sling over, Emmett only used one of his backpack straps. They both looked nice, but I didn't feel comfortable saying so. Their jeans were faded, Emmett had a red jersey of some football player, Jasper had nice dark button up. Emmett swung his free arm around Jasper's shoulders and leaned as he walked them toward the doors.

"Everything will be fine, Bella. No need to be so anxious," Jasper called out, winking at me over Emmett's elbow, which was tucked against his neck. Our gaze locked on for more than the appropriate time, his eyes searching mine. I nodded back, but didn't know what Jasper was doing and when the door closed behind them I turned to Edward with a raised eyebrow. Was that look a signal or a secret message of some kind that I missed? This family is so _weird. _What could Jasper be trying to tell me? Alice I usually understood when she gave me looks unless she had something vision-wise she wanted to tell me. I sighed, I didn't understand her long-complicated looks either. Edward would know, he can read minds.

"Don't look at me! He was trying to tell _you_ something. To him, I'm not even here." I rolled my eyes and Edward nonchalantly leaned against the stair's banister and pretended to care what his nails looked like. He always had the same clothes on, dark jeans with a long sleeved black t-shirt that looked far too good on him. Half of it was tucked in at all times but I didn't think he could fix that. It wasn't like he could change but regardless he is always intimidatingly beautiful. It reminded me that I didn't have a chance; I am plain Bella and currently Edward's only option of a friend.

I groaned as my cell phone chimed and Esme walked into the living room simultaneously. She had her 'decorating' garb on, jean overalls with a white tank top underneath, her hair pulled back in a messy bun with a few pencils sticking out. There was a pad of paper in her front pocket and I could see notes and shapes on the top poking out.

"You look wonderful! I bet the boys will be following you around like a new toy." Edward dropped his hands to his sides and stood. I mentally cheered that he was upset about that, and smiled at my mother. "Try not to let any of them follow you home." She winked, her tennis shoes tapping on the ripped up floor and she went out the front door, probably going to take another last look at all the furniture stored in Rosalie's garage. I giggled; I think Esme just made a joke about Edward following me. She really took this whole situation like a champ. She loved me, and it gave me hope that the others that find out about me might also have her frame of mind.

Edward eyed me up and down again. I gave him a big grin, glad he couldn't read what I've been thinking just moments ago. "Are you... Jealous?" I snickered as his eyes widened before his eye lids snapped back together and his two fingers came up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

I dug out my cell phone, setting it to vibrate before opening the text. Of course it was Alice's name flashing across the screen._ 'Grab lunch money.' _Oh, right. I stood and made my way upstairs. I'd forgotten about my wallet. Oh, Alice, how creepy can you get. Edward followed, of course.

"So... the school is a menagerie of different buildings, most too far for me to 'hear' and I need to keep an eye on everyone..." I shrugged. Alice wasn't reliable when it came to ghost decisions so if James comes around Edward needed to be there. "I won't be around twenty-four-seven, but I'll stick with you as much as possible. You are his main target, as far as I know but you may also be a distraction. If you feel something, you need to let me know."

"We're all going to survive _high school__,_" I mocked him. "Seriously, we talked about this yesterday. I know you're nervous about everyone separating to different buildings but Carlisle goes to work and you don't worry and Esme is home. He may be focusing on me, but your brother and Carlisle are both just as likely targets. Do what you have to, Edward. I can fend for myself, mostly. Especially if I get pissed, Okay?"

I tapped his shoulder reassuringly with my hand. He worried too much, if he wasn't half dead already, I'd say he was slowly killing himself. I grabbed my door handle before turning around to look at Edward's room, having been sealed off. Tonight, I was going to have a great time making fun of Edward for anything incriminating in there. My smile spread across my face on its own accord as I pushed my door open and collected my wallet. I pulled my backpack off to stuff it in the front pocket and zipped everything back up.

Rose and Alice were in the hall when I shut the door in Edward's face. He laughed as he stepped through; complaining about me already being inconsiderate and I haven't even arrived at high school yet. I stuck my tongue out and followed my sister and step-sister down the steps, their voices far less joyous then when I left them earlier. Rose and Alice seriously needed me as a buffer or they fought like cats and dogs.

"Angela, as in Angela Weber?" Rose asked, her voice high and condemning. Alice scoffed, the noise making me cringe and I looked sideways at Edward. Maybe he would see now just how wrong he had been. Instead, Edward shrugged. "She is a witch," he defended Rose and I huffed myself.

"Have you even spoken to her?" Alice's voice lowered dangerously. Maybe Rose didn't know my sister's cues yet, or Rose was ignoring her anger all together, I wasn't sure but this needed to stop.

"Cool it, the both of you." We reached the living room and as their feet landed they turned to face one another, my tiny sister not backing down despite Rose using her height to her advantage. I'd have to take my sister's side if they started swinging. I didn't want Rose's anger directed at me but my loyalty was aligned with Alice permanently. Plus, Angela was getting a repeated bad reputation for basically no reason, except fear. Religious persecution was just wrong.

"First day of school, impressing love interests, meshing two already meshed families, we all seriously have too much to worry about to be fighting with each other." I gave Alice a pointed look. She knew more than Rose with what was actually going on. James was going to follow us to school one of these days, if not today and we all needed to trust one another to get everyone through this alive. Fighting did not build confidence.

"Okay, you're right." Alice conceded. Rose would never admit someone else was right so she just shrugged like she didn't care either way and turned to go out the front door. She closed it behind her. While Alice glared at the door knob.

"Is this whole family hypocritical? _'Everyone only likes us for our money, we're judged before anyone gets to know us.'" _Alice mocked Rose exceptionally well. I grinned shaking my head at her. "But if someone else is going through the same thing, people judging Angela before they know her, it's totally different and she had a right to tell me not to be friends with her. _Come on!_"

Edward sighed, knowing he did the same thing to me and Angela's friendship when he found out that I liked her and planned on hanging out with her. I think even Jasper and Emmett had a chip on their shoulder, although Jasper told me Angela was cool. I'll have to assume that he out of the four was the only one to look beyond face-valued rumors. Now that I think about it, he had assumed Alice and I were money hungry too when I had mentioned shopping. He wasn't perfect, but no one was.

"Lets go, you have a Maria to out-shine." She groaned, self consciously tugging at her shorts. Her butt looked really nice in them and her tiny legs were shapely. I smacked her butt to build her confidence and get her moving. I didn't want to be late. We both followed Rose and Alice called out a 'bye' to Esme who indeed was digging through the garage. She hopped into the driver's seat and I sighed as I was by default, assigned the backseat. Edward jumped over the side and landed silently beside me. He was too smooth for his own good and I made sure to pretend not to swoon so his ego didn't get any bigger.

"You're right." He sighed, his hand finding its way to my knee. It was bare and the cold electricity flowed between us. I was in jean shorts, my 'some dudes marry dudes, get over it' shirt and flip flops. Alice forced me into the shorts or I'd be in jeans right now and far more comfortable, she only conceded with the shirt because 'it actually accentuates your boobs,' in her words, not mine. I felt uncomfortable after she told me that but wasn't about to change. "I shouldn't expect not to be judged if I do the same thing. Angela stays out of every ones way, as I've stayed away from her but in the library when you first met her, I could see a difference. She never had any cruel thoughts like Lauren did."

I couldn't respond so just gave Edward a forgiving smile. It really didn't matter. Besides Edward, the ride was excruciatingly quiet. Alice and Rose were giving each other the evil eye every time they could slyly squeeze one in. I stayed out of it this time. I never thought I'd ever actually be able to say 'you can cut the tension with a knife', but their hostility toward one another _was_that thick. When we pulled into the parking lot and slowed down to an almost crawl with all the students sardined into the small area, I grabbed my bag and jumped over the side of the car.

"What the-, Bella!" Alice cried out, as I ungracefully braced myself on all fours before standing, brushing my knee's off. "No, don't leave me alone with her!" I laughed, Alice bringing the line of cars behind the bright yellow Porsche to a halt.

"Meet you in English!" I sprinted off uncoordinated and nervous, Edward staying in front of and beside me, going through people and cars when he needed too. It freaked me out more than him lately.

"Sense anything?" He asked, it was a yes-no question so I brought my left hand up to scratch the side of my neck. It was our signal for no, I could shake my head but I didn't want people to catch on so, scratching with my left hand meant no, and my right, yes.

Hopefully Alice wouldn't be pissed about me taking off but they needed to be forced together if they were going to get passed this. They each found something to point out to the other whenever I wasn't around to put things into perspective. Maybe they'd get it out of their system and act normally to one another soon.

"You need to go to the front office first. It's in that building." I slowed to a walk, away from the parking lot and followed Edward's finger. We walked together as I took in the school's campus. Everyone was rushing around, some noticing me as a new girl giving me smiles and stares, necks stretching around to get a better look while others were too wrapped up in themselves. I liked the to-busy-to-notice students best, currently.

The buildings were in an oval shaped alignment, in between and in front of the buildings was a grassy area in the same shape, trees and picnic tables with cement walkways leading to and fro. Three of the five buildings are actually old, the stone faces and architecture a blatant tell that this schools been around for over a hundred years. The other two buildings were expansions and the courtyard here was an add-in. It was pretty though, but walking outside between buildings while it rained and snowed, it didn't sound appealing.

"Bella!" I turned instinctively toward my name. Alice and Rose would still be parking so when a waving and jumping girl came into view I smiled. Angela stepped around a picnic bench with a couple making out on it, her face tense. "To be honest I wasn't sure if you'd acknowledge me when we actually started school. Oh, nice shirt!"

"Thank you! And... to be honest, I thought the same thing about you." I winked at her and Angela laughed, her hands coming up to cover her mouth like she wasn't allowed to laugh so loudly. Man, she must be paranoid about drawing attention to herself. "I'm going to check in the front office, you want to join me?"

"Sure. Where's Alice?" We walked together, Edward keeping looking out and making his tension spread to me. He reminded me of a body guard and he was acting as serious as one. Had Alice had another vision she shared with Edward and not her own sister? That actually wouldn't be a big surprise, she never shared with me and Edward heard everything anyways. Why was he so paranoid right now?

"She was fighting with Rose so I left them to it. I fell out of the car in my hurry to escape so I hope no one noticed. She's probably parked by now and hunting me down." I giggled thinking Alice will either have cleared the air with Rose like she knew she should and was happy, or she was pissed and blamed me for their epic fail at being cordial.

"Aw, Rosalie Hale." She shook her head from side to side like no other explanation was needed.

"I understand you guys have problems... but I don't want to hear it." I put my hands up to show my surrender. "She's family now; we're getting along alright, so I'm Switzerland. I'll tell her the same thing. Although, I don't really have to fight with her since Alice seems to enjoy it so much. She takes over any chance she can get."

Edward's wide eyes found mine. He seemed surprised before he smiled his crooked smile and went back to surveying for danger. Strange, strange ghost-man. But very, very attractive and that half smiles makes me clumsier and pinker.

"No biggie. I don't want to talk about anyone, except Lauren, and I work with her so that give me a free pass to bitch." I flinched at the curse word used. "You don't like curse words, alright, I can dig that." My appreciative smile came out as Angela grabbed the door handle and pulled, ushering me in the administration building.

"I'm going to find Jasper and Emmett," Edward informed me, facing away from the building I was about to enter. "Do you sense anything?" I scratched with my left hand telling him no. Edward stepped close for a moment, his thumb brushing across my cheek. He pulled away just as quickly and I hoped Angela didn't notice my rapid color change. I shrugged as he took off, he'd be all over the place today. Maybe he'd get tired after awhile and that would calm him down. I worried about him in his current state. He ran pretty fast so if he felt like he was fading. I hoped he could find me quick enough.

Angela waited as I went in the office, signing in and getting a slip of paper to have all my teachers autograph to show they introduced me and all that bogus new-student bull. Alice came in before I could exit. She elbowed me as she slid beside me to ask the receptionist for the same thing I received. My groan stalled in my throat and came out as a whisper like breath. Obviously me bailing on her didn't make her have warm fuzzy feelings toward me, which means Rose and her didn't clear the air.

"I guess being alone with Rose did wonders to your blossoming relationship." Alice nodded, her eyes narrowed.

"Oh yes, we both agreed to be mean to _you _today." I gasped as Alice collected her paper work and turned to leave without me. I sprinted after her.

"No! Come on!" Angela smiled seeing us both before frowning at our expressions. "Alice!" I begged, my hand going out to touch her elbow. She smiled back at me, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm just kidding. We talked a bit, not saying it was nice, but words were shared." Alice giggled at my expression, I'm sure it was a mix of disbelieve and wonder. "Rose can't admit anything, so she just pretends nothing happened."

"I told Angela I'm not taking sides. You know I'm obligated to back you up no matter what, but please don't put me in that situation, okay? I got your back, but with Rose, I want to be as close to family as I can get. She's good to have with us." Alice shrugged her eyes casting downward; Angela gave me a pointed look and gestured with her head toward my sister. Oh, no wonder...

"Alice... are you... wait." I put my hand up, wishing Edward would have given me a heads up on why Alice was really picking fights with Rose. "Alice." She tried to turn away from me but I gripped her elbow and forced her to look at me. "Are you upset that I have another sister now?"

Alice's eyes gave it away, they widened and turned vulnerable. She was hiding something and it wasn't jealousy. Alice has seen something with or about Rose and it's made her angry enough to be mean to her now, before it happened. She knew nothing could ever come between us, we've literally been together since conception. She sighed as Angela urged us to get moving since the first bell was about to ring.

"We'll talk in English," She muttered as she pulled out her schedule to compare to Angela's. Our friend went with it, giving sweet understanding smiles to us. All three of us were together in Art and Cooking. I had Drama with Angela but equally, Alice had Angela for History. Since Jasper helped Angela with her history, I wondered how that would go down after Angela knew Alice has a serious crush on her step-brother... and studying together might not be an option because of that... if it didn't work out.

The first bell rang, Angela pointed us to the English building with a side note to me that the library was open for study hall students as long as they signed in for it in the Science building. There were five buildings, counting the administration building, Math, English, Science and History. All other miscellaneous subjects were divided up to whichever building had an open room. Drama was in history, the library in the science, home economics in English and Art in math.

"Hopefully you don't forget about me after you make some normal friends." Angela called out to us as she sprinted toward her own class, the campus becoming more and more barren by the second.

"Girl has some serious abandonment issues. I feel bad for her future boyfriend." I elbowed Alice as we strolled toward the English building, she shouldn't be talking about our only friend behind her back. We took our time walking. One of the few good things about being new, is having a really good excuse for being late to every class. "What!" Alice defended rubbing her side like I actually hurt her.

"You have abandonment issues!" I scoffed at her. "What are you really upset about?" The second bell rang, the yard and parking lot empty except for one running student with his backpack flopping from side to side. My sister sighed.

"I'm just upset about Jasper and Maria. It's carrying over to include everything else. Rose just rubs me the wrong way with her snide comments and complete disregard for everything I say." There was something else.

"You are snide back, and sometimes first." Her brown eyes rolled giving me a look that says 'give it a rest already.' I shrugged opening the door to the English building. The building was older, just from the smell I knew more than a few generations have passed through these halls. There were numbers on all the doors and some teacher's voices could be heard.

"Sorry, again." Alice sighed as she checked her schedule to look at the room number. 108, we backtracked as we reached 110 and peered into the room. I thought about holding Alice's hand but figured we'd already have an entrance, me having a gay-pride shirt on while holding my doesn't-look-anything-like-me sister's hand may scream 'lesbian'.

Mrs. Drugan ushered us in, signing our sheets and separating us immediately. Since we came in late, there wasn't time for every student in the class to ask a million questions so I took my seat in the front and opened my notebook prepared to doodle since Edward hadn't reappeared. Hopefully that didn't mean trouble for Jasper or Emmett.

By the end of class I was really starting to really worry. Maybe he vanished and hadn't been able to find me well enough. He knew my schedule, maybe James showed up? Alice and I rushed out and since we weren't introduced no one could call out our names to stop us. Hopefully the whole day would go like this.

"History with Angela, and you're going to Biology. Guess we'll see each other during lunch." Alice spotted Angela and they waved bye as we split in two directions, without Alice or Edward my nerves were in overdrive. I scanned the area; I hadn't seen Jasper, Emmett or Edward. Should I look for them? Maybe it was too soon, maybe he was rotating whole class periods. I entered the Science building, they all looked the same with different signs in the front of each indicating what was inside.

The walls were covered in research, inside a glass case to my right were bugs pinned to a clothe board with their genus types below them. I checked the room number and made my way down the hall with students rushing about in each direction. Unfortunately it seemed I'd be on time to this class.

Edward was standing a few feet from the doorway and I beamed, unable to stop my overjoyed smile.

"Took you long enough." His eyes rolled and his too-hott smile spread slowly across his face.

"Isabella! I'm so glad you remember me!" A girls voice called out to me. My smile faded and Edward stepped to the side. Behind him, sitting at a black two person table was Lauren. To her, it had looked like I'd been smiling in her direction. Crap on a banana. What do I do now? "Sit here, it's the only empty seat on the chart."

"She's the student aid, I bet you twenty that she made sure that happened." Edward sighed, his hand brushing through his messy hair. I wish I could ask him if everything was okay, if James had shown up or how I could get out of this.

"Come on, I won't bite... hard!" Lauren's nasally laugh came out and my eye brows shot up high. Woah, wasn't expecting her to sound like that when she laughed at people. I walked toward her and apparently the only empty seat. We were lab partners then? _No, thank you_. Well, maybe when she goes on maternity leave it won't be so bad. Oh, right, you don't get maternity leave from school.

When I sat beside her, my backpack slipping to the floor beside my chair my eye automatically went to her non-existent baby bump. That little creature in there may have the most unfortunate life... ever. I almost wished it would be Edward's so we could make sure Lauren didn't poison the little thing.

Scratch that, who knows, maybe she'll be a really good mom.

"Hey, I'm Mike." The guy in Alice's drawing leaned over his table from behind us to extend his hand to me. "I hear you're from Arizona, shouldn't you be tanner?"

"Shut up _Mike!_" Lauren's nasty side appeared, her claws extended as she staked her claim on me. "No one cares what you think, go back to shoving your tongue down Stanley's throat." The girl sitting behind me, and beside Mike scoffed. -Who names their little girl Stanley?- I put my hand in Mike's and shook it once so he'd back away and get off his table top.

"Are the hormones making you bitchy,_ preggers_?" The girl named Stanley said. Lauren's evil glare turned darker before I put my hands up successfully stopping the ping pong match of insults from continuing.

"Okay, everyone just calm down," I announced, hoping that a don't-scare-the-new-girl-away policy will be adopted, _now_. Edward sat on my desk in front of me and I turned to him as the two drama loving girls beside and behind me continued to stare each other down.

Edward smiled at me. His green eyes were softer than they usually were and I blushed automatically. He's always showed me his playful side, picking on me and making me laugh... but this, with his tender expression and shy smile. Well, I wasn't sure. I didn't dare hope he was going to tell me something that made him vulnerable. My mind raced with the possibilities. My gaze dropped and Edward's hand found its way to my cheek, his cool skin causing delicious chills to run down my body. Oh man... This was it. Whatever it was though, I had no idea. I couldn't be more excited.

"Well, Isabella..." The girl behind me interrupted me just as Edward had forced me to look up at him. What would he have told me? What had made him look so... soft. "I'm Jessica Stanley." I turned because society deemed it appropriate and gave her a tight, slightly peeved smile. If Edward was about to tell me that he liked-liked me, I would never speak with this '_Jessica Stanley_' -I mocked her voice in my head- again.

"Bella please, I don't really like Isabella." My voice sounded too cold in my own ears so I tried to lighten my tone. Jessica gave Lauren a cruel look. The last I had seen, Jessica and Lauren were good friends or at least, hung out with the same group of people. She was there with Mike in the media center of the library when I'd met Lauren.

"Who's bummed we got Mrs. Blanch again?" Mike asked, anxious to get everyone in a friendlier mood, to get the two glaring girls to focus on complaining about their teacher, not each other.

"I totally am." Jessica responded to Mike enthusiastically. I gave Edward a quick glance, his face had fallen and I turned back to the little circle forming between my new table and the one behind us. I reminded myself not to make friends with Mike for his own good. Jessica snapped out of her Mike-trance and turned to Lauren again.

"My best friend, _Victoria,_" Jessica gave an evil grin toward Lauren like she won something that Lauren should be jealous of. "She told me by her locker that our project this year takes more than a month of research time."

Laurens glare diminished some, her shoulders tensing. Has she lost all her friends when they found out about the pregnancy? I hated that I felt bad for her. I listed in my head all the things she's done to the Cullen's. Blackmail, forcing Carlisle to examine her so he'd want and possibly love the child she named as Edwards. Poor Emmett and his worried eyes as he asked us during our family discussion on the matter... _'What if... What if I really am an uncle?'_ I shook my head as Emmett's soft kind voice echoed there. No, she was being cruel and using Edward's situation to her advantage.

"Hopefully Mrs. Blanch's mood has improved." Lauren didn't respond to Jessica which I found borderline mature, she addressed me. "Maybe it was just first block that pissed her off." I flinched at the curse word and no one seemed to notice, except Edward. He tisked at her with his tongue and slide off my side of the table. "We all miss Mr.-" Three loud claps in close secession interrupted Lauren actually being nice to me. We both looked up toward the front of the class. The lady was pear shaped, her narrow framed glasses rested low on her nose.

"She's a dirty witch," Edward commented, cleaning up his language for me and giving me his mischievous look again. I wanted to bring out the mushy Edward I had just seen a moment ago. If I asked him later would he tell me what that was about?

The teacher introduced herself while I grabbed my notebook and the sheet of paper I had to be brave enough to ask her to sign after class. _Although_ what a good excuse not to walk with Lauren... I shook my head, she was mean to Angela, and mean to me before she knew which family I newly belong too... but I was judging her from rumors. I sighed to myself. Maybe she was stressing about the pregnancy and that has driven her to... this. God, couldn't I just not be empathetic here! She dated Edward! Hello, she is _the competition!_

'_No big J around, right?' _I scribbled on the side of my first page of my new notebook, a few art works in progress from my English class scattered around it. I needed to think about everything else excluding Lauren right now. I refused to feel bad for her. Mrs. Blanch wrote her name on the board and flipped through a notebook for a moment. Lauren opened her own book, her face turned downward.

"Big J?" He laughed and I fought against my smile. Mrs. Blanch began passing out her syllabus' and her final project guidelines. "No, he hasn't shown up. Alice saw him here after everyone is used to you two. People know your names I was just making sure." Lauren passed over two stapled packets to me, groaning softly at the project.

'_What were you going to say... Before J.S. interrupted?'_ I hoped he'd tell me, I looked up at him sliding the two packets in front of me like I was going to read them. The notebook with the new little message facing away from the others and toward Edward. He gave his soft smile again and touched my bare, upper arm.

"I missed you." His voice changed, it deepened to a soft velvet. I've never wanted to kiss someone as badly as I wanted to now.

"New girl!" Laurens elbow dug into my side and I flinched my gaze away from Edward. Mrs. Blanch was standing beside Lauren in the isle looking right at me. "Shall I expect you to be a day-dreamer all year?"

"Ye-" Oh monkey dumplings, this women was more intimidating than Esme when she caught me skipping class last year to go to a book release. "No, I'm sorry Mrs. Blanch."

"What out that window, _pray tell,_ is so interesting that what I have to say means nothing to you?" My mouth opened and Lauren kicked me under the table. Was that kick telling me not to answer? I didn't understand what that meant! "What is your name?"

"Isabella Swan." She sighed.

"You are rather lucky it's your first day. You don't know me yet, so you have used your one free pass." Her eyes narrowed and her dark iris's almost disappeared they were so tight. "But do know this, Miss Swan, I don't teach so my students can let their brains wonder off... I do not tolerate being ignored. It is in your best interest to remember that."

I am almost certain that my shoes were very close to falling off from my feet shaking so badly. She asked for my teacher signature sheet and I passed it over, her lips pursing as she signed her name on the second line. You best believe that I didn't look at anything except her and her packets again. Edward only touched my shoulder once after Mrs. Blanch ripped me a new one in front of everyone. He didn't distract me again, and I very much appreciated that.

But... He had _missed_ me.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Alice and Angela are waiting for you outside the Administration building. That's where the cafeteria is." Edward's hand was wrapped around my elbow and as I weaved through the people he stayed close, his cool breath finding the back of my neck.

I had Algebra and History after Biology and both seemed like a cake walk compared to Mrs. Blanch and her reign of terror. Her final project was more like a year-long research study that I should be writing my -non existent- masters dissertation on. Yes, that was a slight over exaggeration.

"Thanks," I whispered to Edward as we made our way through the circles of people in the grass between the buildings. I'd had Algebra with Victoria. She introduced herself and Edward made his rounds during history but came back to escort me to lunch. A huge arm came up and around my neck pulling me into an armpit before I could see who grabbed me.

"How's the first day?" Emmett asked, he released me when he realized I was struggling against him. I glared and straightened my hair back out the best I could with my fingers. Edward seemed torn between finding his brothers antics funny, and maybe being upset that he manhandled me a bit too roughly.

"It's going. Have you seen Rose?" Emmett's brows rose.

"Nah, she's around here somewhere though." We walked together to lunch as I told Emmett how horrible Mrs. Blanch is. He chuckled and Edward seemed to appreciate me making his brother smile. Some people tended to treat him differently around here. Edward said all of his friends in his first period class had acted like he had leprosy. It's why Edward stayed with him the whole time.

Rose came into view as some students dispersed. She was walking down the path to the administration building laughing with one of her friends. I knew it was her since I'd seen her outfit when I left, it was shorter than both Alice and I's. Rose is very a brave woman. A few heads turned and Emmett scoped out the situation.

"Shit, I guess all the guys can finally stop debating whether you or Alice is the hottest new student this year. Who _is_ she?" My face burned as Emmett chuckled blatantly staring at his cousin's backside. Well, they aren't actually related and he didn't know that was Rose, apparently. I smiled slightly not only at Emmett calling me and Alice hott, but that I'd have to tell Rose that Emmett called her _hotter. _Wait... the guys have been voting on which of us is hotter? I tugged at my shorts as my cheeks temperature raised up a few extra degrees.

"My votes for you," Edward whispered as he leaned in closer to my ear. Oh god... Oh my god. _Please don't wet your pants right now, okay, Bella?_

"BELLA!" Alice's yelled, waving a hand to hurry the heck up. This seemed to snap Emmett out of his trance too, Rose disappearing into the cafeteria. I tried to get my face to cool or to get my lets to start moving toward my sister.

"I'm going to introduce myself. Wish me luck!" Emmett bounced off a cocky grin on his face.

"Ten bucks say he cries after he realizes it's Rose." Edward laughed at himself, pushing on the small of my back to get me to move forward. When I reached my own little forming group of friends I told them what Emmett said about the guys here casting votes on which of us was hotter. I couldn't tell Angela about Rose and Emmett, that would be betraying Rose's trust, but really wanted to tell Alice what a success her outfit was.

"Shit, Jasper's coming," Angela hissed, I looked over Alice's head and sure enough he was.

"_No!_" She hissed before changing her mind. "Wait, is he alone? Oh _cracker jack box!_" I appreciated the curse word fill in. "I need to make him jealous..." I cut her off with an exasperated look for her to calm the hell down. Her little hands were flying all over the place. A short olive skinned beauty attached herself to his side behind Alice, her big boobs pressing into his upper arm. Jasper didn't smile, not right away and he tried to pull away from her. All good signs, yes?

"He's with Maria," I sighed out sadly. "He's getting closer." Edward let out a long cool breath beside me, I'm sure he was getting annoyed with being ignored but I couldn't very well talk to him with so many people around. We'd have to get used to this.

"He isn't _with _Maria," Edward told me informatively. "He just wants to talk to Alice. Maria is crazy, and I mean that in the stalker, calls every three seconds, makes friends with his friends for information, kind of crazy. Tell Alice not to play games, just be straight with him. He'll appreciate that."

When Jasper reached within hearing distance Angela acted fast. I hadn't seen this coming or maybe I would have relayed Edward's advice a lot quicker.

"I can't believe he asked you out." Angela said conspiratorially but loud enough for Jasper to hear. He stopped and I looked over Alice's head to meet his eyes. His head turned to the side as if trying to process something. "It's not even half way through your first day and you already have someone with their eyes on you!"

Jasper turned around and strolled away not pushing Maria away when she latched on the second time. They entered the administration building together. Alice's eyes widened and with her still body I knew she was having a rare daytime vision. I hip bumped Angela giving her a sad smile. In her defense, she was just trying to give Alice what she had wished for. To make Jasper jealous. It worked.

"Good thinking," I told her, my smile not quite reaching my eyes. Edward paced behind her with his fingers running through his disheveled bronzed locks. He glared at me for patronizing my new friend and I let my smile drop. It's not like I planned this! I didn't want Jasper to have hurt feelings either!

"No," Alice whispered. "Thank you, really, but I think I should just talk to him." Angela's face turned worried. She expected that what she did for Alice to be a good thing and it seemed she realized now that playing silly games with boys weren't really our style.

"I'm sorry, I thought that's what normal friends do." Angela tensed and I squeezed Alice's shoulder. Why couldn't today be a good first day? Alice didn't seem to cheer up until lunch was over. The four of us, including Edward sat at a lunch table together. Emmett was with his group of friends avoiding looking at Rose, who sat with a bunch of cheer leading type girls. Jasper sat with two other couples and Maria sat really close stealing bites of his food. Alice watched the two of them_ too_ intently.

Study hall was next and the break from having to talk to people seemed like a god send. Edward left to make his rounds, following Emmett again. Did he even watch out for Rose or Jasper? It seemed that James focused on some people but it may, like Edward said, be a way to distract him. He was one guy protecting seven people at once.

I made my way to the Science building wondering why the English building didn't house the library. I guess this building was bigger. I followed the signs and asked the librarian if it was alright if I stayed there for study hall. She signed my assigned sheet and showed me where to find the study hall sheet. I wasn't allowed to leave until the bell rang. The librarian has been by far the most helpful and nicest adult that's spoken to me today.

The library was almost empty. A small prickling at the back of my neck warned me that I might not be alone. Panic following the little feeling and I scanned the room. Alice said James wasn't going to show up yet... I didn't have a way to get Edward to come back. There were a few computers taken but in the back of the library where the books were, it was empty. I made my way back there, the dull tone of hushed voiced filled the air and I hoped that if I got far enough away from everyone no one else would get hurt.

I tired mentally sounding out an S.O.S. to Edward. I'm sure I didn't have that great of ghost powers but it was worth the effort. I attempted to act as normally as possible under the circumstances, I found a table and faced toward the entrance with a long wall length bookshelf behind me. I pulled out my biology packet. At least no one could sneak up on me.

"Miss Swan, right?" I covered my mouth to stifle the yelp as a tall man stepped out from behind the far bookshelf to my left. So much for being unsurprizable. His eyes were kind and he held an air of authority. He must be a teacher. The library stayed quiet, no one seemed to notice my outburst as I looked around. The chill was still there but fading. "I'm Mr. Banner."

"Hello." I clicked my pen nervously. I didn't have Mr. Banner as a teacher in any of my classes. Plus, I didn't like that he had heard about me nor that he knew me without me knowing him.

"Oh," He sounded slightly surprised. "I'm usually ignored." Mr. Banner's eyes wrinkled as he smiled. "I'm a biology teacher here, I'm also a wonderful tutor if you ever need any help. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I'm excellent at what I do." He winked at me, his easy smile very contagious.

"Actually..." and I had a very wonderful hushed conversation about my extended and in depth biology project with Mr. Banner. He helped a lot. We had the whole project planned out and ready to go by the time the bell rang. Maybe having Mrs. Blanch wouldn't be so bad if I could get Mr. Banner's help. I told him I'd be here every study hall, and that maybe as the semester wore on, we could do this again.

The chill never returned and I signed out of study hall. Edward met me by the doors to walk me to my Art class. I didn't mention the chill, knowing it would just make him more paranoid than he is now. Angela and Alice were already set up in the class room and had a table for the three of us.

Everyone was silent.

Alice still hadn't snapped out of her shocked state and Angela was nervously wringing her hands. I tried to reassure both Angela, that she hadn't done anything to make Alice angry and that we were still friends, and Alice that everything would work itself out and making Jasper jealous isn't exactly bad. Art ticked by awkwardly, but we all got a brand new sketch books and Mrs. Jones was excruciatingly nice.

"I'll make you a 'lucky in love' bath bag," Angela told Alice trying desperately to get her to forgive her. Seriously though, there wasn't anything to forgive. Alice was pouting about the vision she had, not about Angela helping her out, kind of. My sister needed to step up and let Angela know she was fine.

"Bath bag?" I thought but Alice asked. The room was filled with tables each with four chairs and everyone was busy sketching and talking quietly. We've already been given our first assignment and I've already told Mrs. Jones I was only good at some faces. I left out the part that I could only draw ghost faces. Edward pointed it out that I couldn't go around just drawing his beautiful face, these students did remember him.

"It's a bathtub sized tea bag. It's really good for your skin too. Plus it has magical properties that help with love, the best of both worlds." Alice agreed and it seemed that Angela relaxed after she found a way to make it up to Alice. My sister was still pouting when class ended. Angela and I went off to drama and Alice left for her class. Edward still scouted even with the reassurance that Alice hadn't seen anything happen. I talked with Angela since Edward was busy.

Before I knew it, school was over and I let out the biggest sigh of relief. Angela agreed to meet Alice and me tomorrow before school and I made my way to the bright yellow Porsche. Rose was already there leaning against the trunk. I expected her to either ignore me or go straight to asking me about Emmett, instead, she asked me how my day went and if I am as upset as she is with the long biology project Mrs. Blanch assigned.

"It's so crazy! Like I want to grow flowers in the first place but to record myself treating one group of flowers differently, that doesn't even sound interesting!" She huffed like this meant the end of the world. If we started early and picked a flower the bloomed quickly it wouldn't take that long. Thanks to Mr. Banner and his suggestions.

"Mr. Banner helped me a lot today. You should go see him too." Rose looked at me like I'd sprouted my own blossoms from my nostrils.

"Do you mean Mr. Banister? Why would you see him, he tutors for trig?" She asked, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open.

"No... Mr. Banner, tall, easy contagious smile, light blue eyes and very professional but nice, why?" Rose still didn't relax and Edward snuck up beside me.

"Mr. Banner has been dead for two years. He was Rose's freshmen year physical science teacher." Edward looked back at the school, his shoulders slumped. Well... that's going to be a tough one to explain. He found my hand, his cold fingers gripping mine like he needed to be reassured I was still there.

"I knew it," Rose hissed, her finger shakily coming up to point at me. "I fucking knew it." She took off, pulling out her cell phone as she went. Edward let me know quietly that she was hitching a ride with Jasper and Emmett. A wave of thick bile rose up my throat, so this is what rejection felt like?


	14. Chapter 14

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters, scenes or dialogues that I borrowed from Stephanie Meyer's book. Buy her products and whatnot's.

A/N: Enjoy, I do apologize again for the delay. Happy new semester and take it easy out there! My next update will be a bit. With school now getting in the way my updates will be farther apart. More Edward and Bella romance is on the way though!

I want to die like my father, peacefully in his sleep,  
not screaming and terrified, like his passengers.

_- Bob Monkhouse_

Chapter Fourteen:

"Judging by your expressions, it didn't go well." Esme's glowing face faded as she took Alice and me in, both standing in the doorway. The floors were done so we struggled with our shoes for a moment. They now belonged on the entryway closet floor. The others haven't come home yet since their Jeep wasn't parked.

Edward stood so close beside me that my shoulder was pressed against his bicep. My whole left side was a few degrees chillier than my right, thanks to him. Since I'd had a ghost encounter without him knowing it, he took that as a personal failure and has been on me like white on rice.

"It was okay," I said softly not even believing myself. The hard wood gleamed and it reminded me that I ruined the nice carpet that Esme had elected to keep. I had cost her so much money. The carpet on the stairs stayed and it looked nice blending together. Edward's hand brushed against the back of mine and I moved it to fit into his. I was about to break down.

Rose, the first family member to figure it out, to _see_ all of me... ran.

"Mr. Banner haunted Bella a bit," Alice commented to Esme and our mother sighed, her eyes tight with worry. "He was nice, and Edward was there in case anything happened."

"I'm afraid you'll have to deal with this your whole life." Esme petted the top of my head and gave me a half hug since I kept a hold of Edward. I needed to feel him, his electricity made me feel like I did have someone outside of my family that accepted me. My mother must have felt my reluctance to fold into her embrace and let me go with a sad smile as she stepped away. "Besides that, any friends? Horrible teachers? And... thank you, Edward."

Esme didn't know where to look to thank Edward, so just looked at me. Edward smiled at her, a slow strained smile that meant he was still beating himself up for not being around when Mr. Banner was. I squeezed his hand, trying to get him to calm down. Telling him that everything was alright.

"Angela," Alice told her, giving me a sideways worried glace. "Our Biology teacher is awful." Esme gave her the same half hug. She sighed before letting us off the hook and stopped pressuring us to tell her all about our first day. Our mother was just as disappointed as we were. Perhaps it was silly to think that this new school would be better. Maybe feeling awful about yourself is just part of the high school experience and atmosphere.

Esme explained what was happening with the house; the workers needed to put the deck in before they made the back wall windows with a sliding glass door. She pulled out the pad of paper from her front pouch, since she was still in the overalls but far dirtier now. The paper was full of drawings and dimensions. Thankfully she was keeping the wall colors, I hated when she made us paint or wallpaper.

The Cullen kids arrived soon after us, Jasper and Emmett were laughing as they walked in. Emmett looked off, but that seemed to be his normal look lately. His eyes were always tight now and his cheeks never showed his dimples. Rose pushed passed them, angrily. I was standing by the steps so when she barreled by us, she pushed me out of the way too. Me being me, I didn't react in time to catch myself but Edward caught me, helping me stand upright while Alice, Edward and Emmett all called after Rose. Esme watched her go with a tense expression. She wasn't allowed to yell at Carlisle's children, it was a part of the deal.

Jasper on the other hand, wasn't paying attention to Rose. He was watching me. I blushed automatically, catching him watching me. I didn't pull away from Edward although I probably should but I needed his hands, they made my twisting belly feel better.

"He watched me catch you," Edward said, I met his eyes for a moment before looking at the ground. That would look weird to someone who didn't know. Before I may have brushed it off and figured this was how he would figure my gift out but now... I didn't want this. Not after Rose and her... reaction, rejection, violence, whichever you want to choose there. "Although they're twins, they are far different."

I thought about that. Edward knew Rose and Jasper better than I did. He may just be reassuring me in a nice way, or he was just hopeful himself that Rose would be the only one to hate it. Either way, I wasn't sure about telling everyone anymore. Alice had told me the order each would find out, not what each of their reactions would be. I shivered, working myself up when I should be trying to stop freaking out.

"She'll get over whatever it is, eventually," Jasper said and his clear eyes found mine again. She hadn't told them, but he was still suspicious of me. I shivered as Edwards other hand not holding mine rubbed up and down my spine as he wrapped his arm around me. He stood in front of me, trying to comfort me and get as much touching in since he had refrained while in school. Rose may hate me now, but she didn't betray me by spreading the news. What the donkey-fur did that mean?

"I need to head to practice, I was just dropping off Emmett and Rose, plus I need to grab my gear. Won't be home for dinner, probably." Jasper headed upstairs to grab his duffel; I eyed him as he looked at my sister a few seconds too long.

"Poor sap," Edward whispered. I agreed.

"What's wrong with her? She almost tore the door off the Jeep and didn't speak the whole way home." Emmett looked worried but shrugged it off, telling Esme about his first day when she asked and changed the subject. Alice and I saw our opportunity to escape and took it. The three of us, including Edward made our way up the stairs and to our room.

Alice went straight to the bathroom, her shoulders so low she looked a couple inches shorter. Apparently she really didn't like that she made Jasper jealous. He was going to talk to her but stopped after Angela made up that little lie. Alice had wanted it, or thought she wanted to make him jealous like he had made her. I would like to ask her what she had seen but wasn't sure if she wanted that.

Edward touched the side of my face, moving before me. His face tense and off to one side. His fingers trailed down my chin, he dropped his hand as his eyes closed. Mr. Banner hadn't been a big deal. I frowned as he completely removed himself from me.

"Why hadn't you told me?" I looked away as my face heated. He cursed without curse words, I didn't need to say it, he knew. Mr. Banner didn't feel like a ghost, he hadn't meant me harm so my internal ghost alarm hadn't… well, it just didn't pick much up. I should have known though, I should have realized and I wish I had.

Edward paced, his fingers violently pulling at his scalp and I wasn't sure what to say that would make him stop. I listened to his muttering, his face pained but I didn't think it because of him pulling so roughly on his hair.

"Anyone but her... I need to keep her safe, I should have known there was a ghost. I'd heard the stories but I, god I, I_ risked _her. Souls are attracted to her, if it's similar to the pull I feel toward her, there are going to be more. More than James who already focuses on her. She can't call me up to let me know, I just have to... get around faster or, or, I'll stay with her as much as possible. She's _more_, she's... important." I'd never seen anyone like this before. Edward forgot I could hear him, or forgot I was here completely. He referred to me in the third person and when I waved in front of his face, he didn't see or acknowledge me.

Was this some kind of ghost thing? Would he get stuck this way? He continued to rant and I reached out as he passed me to run my hand down his back. Edward stopped, his voice cutting off and he turned to look at me confused.

"I think you got stuck." I whispered as he stared at me. If I hadn't touched Edward, would he have stayed like that? I didn't know much about ghosts but I knew they could get stuck places, but to be stuck because I couldn't tell Mr. Banner was a ghost? That seemed a bit... over the top. Edward did obsess over my safety, apparently to the point where he forgot I was in the room and had working ears. This really freaked me out but with Edward's hand on me, I started to forget.

His lips parted and his pink tongue brushed out across his bottom lip. His hand came up to brush my cheek and it heated despite his coolness. He changed so suddenly, his expression turned soft again like it had when he told me he missed me.

"Can I try something, Isabella?" I always hated my full name but when it came out of his mouth, I loved it. It sounded different coming from him. I shivered, forgetting for a moment that he asked me a question. His green eyes glowed and his eyes were pleading. I nodded a yes and he leaned forward, his other hand finding the back of my neck.

"Shoot." Alice cursed from the bathroom right before the door opened. Edward dropped his hands like he was stung and backed away like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing. I grinned like the cat that caught the canary. I do believe that Edward Cullen was going to kiss me! I would have danced if I had been alone, I might still.

Alice moved to the closet, the latch broken still and she pulled it open with ease. She was suffering but I couldn't stop smiling. Edward grinned back and rolled his eyes at me like I was being ridiculous.

"You could at least pretend to be empathetic here. I know you and Edward are... like a thing now but cool it. _I'm_ in misery." Alice complained as she started laying out clothing. "Oh, and now you know why I've been pissy with Rose. You would think with her knowing about Edward, she would be a bit more understanding."

"She didn't tell them, I'm not sure what that means." I moved to sit on the end of her bed, bringing Edward along as I motioned for him to hold my hand. He complied, his lazy smile making me glad I was sitting. I moved our hands to my leg and tried to look properly chastised. Alice was 'in misery' so I needed to at least pretend I wasn't happy.

"She knows what she did was wrong." Alice sighed. "Okay, enough about her, back to me. I'm throwing a pity party and you are seriously about to be uninvited." I didn't see that as a bad thing but I did want to be there for Alice.

"Sorry," I mumbled, man she really wanted to focus on her and her problems.

"So, Maria and he are going to start dating tonight. She's at his practice and they are going out for pizza later. He's thinking I'm not interested now since he thinks I've started dating someone else... God, Belly!" She stopped rummaging through her closet to sit in her sewing chair, her forehead falling to her palm.

"Text him and say 'Can we talk when you get home? I think there's been a few misunderstandings.' Then, maybe he'll skip going with Maria literally and as a couple." I shrugged and Alice turned her head enough in my direction to give me a glare with one eye.

"That makes me a home wrecker." Alice and I both sighed at the same time.

"No, Jasper is going back with Maria as a rebound." Edward added. "Wait, is it a rebound if they never date?" I repeated, letting Alice know he said it. Although I wasn't sure if it was a rebound either, I left that part out. She still didn't seem convinced.

"It seems to me like you are giving up. You are letting Maria take him, from what Edward has told me, she isn't a nice girl." Alice's glare dropped a few notches. "You either fight for him, and talking isn't overstepping anyone's bounds because Maria doesn't have a claim on him. Not yet, and she will if you don't take the reins here."

Alice doesn't get this worked up over a guy. Honestly, I didn't like it. She was never self-centered before, with him though, well I couldn't even talk about Rose and what happened because she needed this resolved. I wasn't sure if it was more because she hadn't had a vision of Jasper being hers or if she never had this strong of feelings toward someone before. Either way, I really wanted it resolved so my sister would come back.

"No games Alice. Just let it all out to him and see where it goes. Even tell him you feel like you are a home wrecker now and that you don't want that." Edward nodded, agreeing with me. He told me earlier that Jasper would appreciate her not playing any games.

"But... I told him before that it was... weird." Alice's head picked up enough that I knew she would do it.

"Talk to him about that too." She sighed, reaching around the table to her discarded backpack and fumbling around. Edward squeezed my hand and I turned to him to smile. He smiled a new smile back, one that showed a little teeth and wrinkled his eyes softly. I like this, I like that he was being open with me just that much more.

Alice pulled out her phone and texted Jasper. She pinched her eyes closed until he responded and it was almost immediate. She gasped and I was the only one that had to wait to know what it said since Edward could hear everything and anyone's thoughts, except mine.

"He's coming home after practice. Oh, I'm a home wrecker... They had a date and now he's coming home for dinner 'cause I asked to talk. What if this doesn't work out and Maria was the right one, what if-" I shushed her instantly.

"This is why you can't see anything. He'll be home in an hour. Why don't you take a bath, cool your nerves and get ready?" Alice was staring at her phone. I had to get up, let go of Edward -which made me feel weird- and pull the phone from her tiny grip. "Relax, go take a bath and think calmly about what you want to tell him. Be honest. Edward already told me that Jasper doesn't like when girls play games."

Alice's eyes were glazed over but she nodded up at me. I was really starting to worry about her until she looked very determined and stood up. She thanked us both and told me to 'give her some space' and I was very willing to get out of there. Edward seemed to be on the same brainwave and held his hand out to me.

I really liked that we could hold hands like this. It seemed so easy. Natural.

"Before... Well, before we go wherever we're going. I'd like to talk to Rose. It's too soon probably but I'd still like to help her with Emmett." Edward nodded, his other hand brushing my cheek again as I moved toward the door. We went down the hall together trying to act before my nerves caught up with me, Edward spoke.

"She's in the garage." I shuttered, remembering what happened the last time I had invaded her turf. Rose and I had been okay before this happened, I could do this, I had too. Together we went downstairs, I had Edward scout for Esme so I could sneak out and not have to reassure her a million times that school hadn't scarred me and that I had written in my journal about it, which I haven't and won't. I did have more important, life threatening things to worry about.

We sprinted across the yard and behind Alice's and my yellow monster-priced car. I halted before the side door; I didn't want to just walk in again. I hadn't known about her anger before but I did now. Pausing made me think about us in a fight. I'd lose, hands down and I didn't want a black eye for school tomorrow.

"She's thinking about it," Edward whispered. "Rose... she just takes things harder than most people." He didn't elaborate, I knew he didn't betray people's thoughts. I think I have been the first person he really shared some of them with. Edward still held back though, since I am his connection to the people around me, he only shared what he felt he needed too. Things that could help them.

"I didn't come here for that... not really." I sighed, glad that at least she was coming to terms with it, thinking about it. Before I could talk myself out of it, I knocked twice. I heard a groan from the other side of the door, which wasn't a good sign that I caught her in a good mood.

I wasn't one to hide from a problem, actually, lets rephrase that. I'll hide from any problem unless it affects my family. Rose was now a part of this family and fighting would only put a strain on Esme and Carlisle, unless we could keep it a secret. I didn't think that was possible since Rose was rather loud. Anything I could do to fix this thing between Rose and me, I would do. Plus, I still had hope that the friendship we started before would supersede what she had found out. She had kept my secret, which gave me hope.

The door sprung open, she had a long handled wrench in the hand that wasn't still attached to the knob. This wasn't looking good for me. I stumbled with my words for a moment as Rose shifted in a defensive position. She had her hair pulled back and an oil smear down her jaw and across her neck. Her make-up was done and she still looked too good for being in raggy clothes and in a garage.

"Spit it out." Her voice lowered like Edwards, only her voice was far scarier. Seeing that Edward haunted me and all, it put things in perspective. I shouldn't let her intimidate me. She was seriously the least of my worries. Jasper and Alice's relationship problems were more important to me. _Suck it up, Bella. Spill what you need to say. Show her you are still in this thing she has with Emmett and split._

"I was there when Emmett first saw you today at school. He said you were hott... like hotter than everyone. He didn't realize it was you yet, he went after you. I thought I should let you know." Her face flushed in a good way. She refused to say anything to me, and glared as her door slammed in my face.

I hated that she hated me.

Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulder not saying a word. Just being there for me. This was the first of all my new family members to find out and I was met face to face with rejection. Rose wanted nothing to do with me now that she knew I was a freak. He led me away from the garage, into the house and up the stairs, the house was quiet again and I wondered if Alice was holding it together. He moved me, but it was all a blur. Rose hating me was important. I pushed the library doors open and as soon as the doors were closed Edward pulled me to the squish chair making me sit how we did before. Me across his lap and leaning against him. His arms came around me and I finally let myself cry.

This is why it was best kept a secret.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward muttered. "I shouldn't have pushed you to show them." I clung to him, noticing how my tears fell through him into the cushion presumably, since they didn't leave marks on his dark shirt. It made me cry harder. Hadn't I just said that Rose was the least of my problems? Shouldn't I be able to hold it together then? I went over everything good in my life. Alice, Esme, Angela, and especially Edward, who like-liked me, I just knew it.

Rose is one person, _get over it. _Only she wasn't just a person, not a random face or a stranger. She had become a kind of friend and since I never had many, since she had been nice to me when Alice and I were helping her... Well, I just wanted her to be okay with this. I wanted her to help me with the others finding out.

This sucked.

It took me too long to stop. I guess Edward's life being in the balance, James wanted to kill me, Mr. Banner sneaking up on me without me figuring out his ghost-status and starting over in a new town with a new family just all came pouring out. Rose rejecting me was just the beginning. I had hoped since Esme was so easy to accept me, that everyone would be like her. That had been naïve and I knew better. Who knows, maybe in the beginning she hadn't been so easy going. I was _lucky_ to have Esme and now that I had Edward, I could handle everything and everyone else.

I was being a whiny baby.

_Big deal, Rose doesn't like me, she doesn't like anyone. _Well, as far as I can tell. Not even her school friends, whom she never brings over. She likes Emmett, and she gets angry really easily. Probably because she can't have the one man she loves. _Pull__. Yourself. Together__._

"Bella, I don't want you to do this..." I pulled away from his cool skin, my nose missing his nook as I found his eyes. I sniffed unattractively and I dropped my gaze for a fraction of a second before I remembered that Edward was beating himself up. "If this is... I don't want this. I thought it might help if they knew but-"

"Stop." I winced at the sound of my scratchy voice. He listened, his forehead falling to my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around his skull, my fingers finding the silky strands and running through them. "This is a first, that's all. Rose is the first non-stranger to... well find out and run." I sighed, my nose brushing against the shell of his ear and I stiffened.

We were... really close, not just that, we were _intimate. _I was sitting across his lap, my hands buried in his hair and my nose against his ear, his left arm around my waist with his fingers pressing into my butt to keep me against him and his other arm across my thighs. My knees were bent up and cozy up against his chest. I hadn't even realized how_ close _we were becoming. My face burned and I was grateful he couldn't see it.

"Edward," I whispered, suddenly self conscious and doubting my previous 'he wanted to kiss me' theory. I needed to be sure. "What... are we?" I closed my eyes as he pulled back from my shoulder, I didn't want to see his face. What if he didn't understand? What if he wanted me to elaborate? I wasn't sure if I could. Worse yet, what if he did know, and was laughing at me, that he found my crush adorable in a condescending way.

"Bella." His voice was low again, velvet across silk but I refused to look. He didn't sound appalled, but he didn't sound happy either. He was going to let me down easy and I didn't want us to be awkward after this. Folding into him like I just did, it was simple. I'd rather he just forget about it if this made things complicated.

"Look at me," He pleaded, his voice cracking and I pursed my lips. I would do whatever he wanted as long as he stopped sounding tortured. I opened them, but looked away. To him, I was a silly girl who could see him. More his step-sister than a potential girlfriend. He had people falling all over him and really, since he hadn't broken up with Lauren he was still with her.

His finger tips circled under my chin for a moment, leaving behind sensitive skin from his light touch. I didn't fight him as he made our eyes meet. My breath sucked in quickly, my lips parting, he looked so... _open_. I never would have imagined that he could look so certain.

"Don't hide, not from me," He murmured, his lips moving slowly and I watched them form each word. "I'm going to try something. Hold on to me, if I fade, find me in your dreams." I shivered as his hand on my chin moved upward to my cheek. He leaned forward, his eyes never leaving mine as his thumb moved back and forth across my darkened skin.

This is it. My first kiss.

I tried to hold his gaze, to follow his lead and do what he did, but as his chilled firm lips skimmed mine, they closed on their own volition. Electricity jolted my insides and my lips yearned for more pressure. Knowing what happened in the hospital, with me taking over and pushing him when I shouldn't have, I let him do what he felt was right. Until I knew it was safe to kiss him, to _really _kiss him, I'd stay frozen.

He pulled back, so very gentle and then there was another, this kiss more sure, more there. His hands were so careful, holding on like I might crack and shatter at any moment. It should be the other way around, me worrying about him fading, him not being able to handle this. On our third kiss, I couldn't hold back any longer. The feelings were building and building inside me and when his other hand moved up my back, I took that as a sign that moving was okay again.

I latched on, my hands moving from his shoulders to his hair, my lips molding to his. _This_ is where I was supposed to be. My chest pressed against his, he leaned back in the chair shocked before he responded. Something inside of me switched on, I felt warm all over. My insides twinged and I didn't know what it meant but I did know that only his touch would make it stop, even though he caused this.

We pulled away, my breathing louder although we were both taking labored breaths. I took that as a good sign since he really didn't need the air. His cocky half grin spread slowly across his face and my cheeks became warmer, which I didn't think was possible.

"That... was the best response to me kissing someone, ever." I looked down, wanting to get off his lap. That was my first kiss, I couldn't help but attack him... and he just reminded me that he's had plenty of other kisses and just compared me to them. I didn't want to be compared; I wanted to be my own... something.

"I can't hear you, so you're going to have to tell me what you're thinking." I flashed my eyes to his face for a moment. _Right,_ before he'd just have to listen to what they were thinking to know how amazing he was. At least I was different somehow since he didn't get instant gratification. I pulled away from his chest and he followed, nervous now.

"Did I hurt you?" His hands were everywhere again, checking under my chin where his fingers were, my thigh and my hips. His hands had been all those places when I had lost control with him. I ran my fingers across his scalp to get him to stop.

"That... was my first." I whispered looking at him enough to see his tense face go soft again. My hand shook as I pulled it away from Edward's head and put it in my lap with the other hand. So much for following my own advice I had given Alice. Honesty was kind of hard when you weren't sure what you were going to get in response.

"Second and third too, and hopefully many more after that." He grinned, tugging for me to lean back onto him. I did as he asked, tucking my head against his shoulder and turning in his lap so my butt was off his legs and on the chair cushion, my knees bent over his thighs.

Was I just another girl until he got his body back? I wasn't anything to look at, not truly pretty or anything. Since Edward had a bit of a reputation before I met him and I was his only option, would I be forgotten if he returned to, _no,_ _when_ he returned to his body? I pinched my eyes closed, my face burning and my chest compressing. He held me, his nose burrowing into my hair. What were we? He never answered my question.

_Now_, I knew what Alice felt like and why she's been going crazy over Jasper.


	15. Chapter 15

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: I own/claim nothing. Not a house, not Twilight and definitely not Edward. Buy Stephanie Meyer's things and all that.

A/N: Synphilia is the best beta, she makes my story complete and when her story is up and running, you should read it! She's in my favorite authors list!

Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.

~Irving Berlin

Chapter 15

"Come on." A tiny whisper found me in my dreams. "It's time to wake up." The intruder spoke quietly, nicely coaxing me awake. I fought reality, I liked it better here, everything was less complicated and everything made sense. Well, in a dream way everything made sense, honestly it is clearer here in my head than out there. I did not want to revisit my internal Edward debate.

"Belly, _psst._" It was Alice's voice stirring me awake, she pushed on my shoulder and I groaned knowing I was going to have to get up if I wanted her to stop. "Wakey-wakey, sister-mine." She shook me again a little harder.

Why did I hurt so much? My back ached and my right arm was numb with tingles. I brought my left one up and the back of my hand brushed across my eye. They opened a moment later. I was in the library in the cushy chair... alone.

Well, except Alice was here.

"You don't have to sleep here, I just wanted some alone time until Jasper showed up." She looked guilty, her eyes darting around the room. Has she talked to Jasper? What time was it? "And... I don't want to be alone anymore."

My limbs needed stretching and I rolled upward onto my feet with a few complaints from various body parts followed by relief and thank you's. I stood, shaking my numb arm and making fists to get the blood flowing. My belly rumbled as I looked out the window, the dull light was too white to be from the sun.

"Esme let you skip dinner, she said you looked too peaceful but she saved you a plate." I nodded, groggy and wondering where Edward went, had he faded? I sighed, a million things rushing through my head. Did he visit his friends while I slept? Did he always leave during the night? Had he left on purpose or fade from the kissing? Oh man, I had to tell Alice about my first kiss. She told me about hers.

"I'll make us hot chocolate, everyone is in bed or in their rooms and I need to talk to you. Alone if that is alright, sorry Edward." I looped my arm through hers realizing a little late that she needed to be comforted. I guess the talk didn't go over so well. I didn't tell her that Edward wasn't here, since the last time he planned on leaving or had left during the night she witnessed my death. We stayed quiet as we walked down the dark hall and down the two flights of stairs; the house was ghost-like. Again, not actually filled with ghosts, but empty and silent.

That hot chocolate sounded like something I needed right now. I was fully awake by the time my bare feet hit the frigid polished wood floor but the cold helped to make sure I didn't feel the least bit tired.

We had a nice talk, mostly about Jasper and her agreeing to take it slow. He told her Maria is an ex who he was thinking about dating again, Alice didn't like that, but Jasper also said he was going to pull away from her. She stalked him, showed up where he was when he hadn't told her where he was or invited her there.

The tiny marshmallow's melted in my cup and I stirred listening and keeping an eye out for Edward. It was almost midnight, I ate a branch of grapes instead of dinner and offered my sister advice about Maria and Jasper.

"She was going to ask him, but since I can't see Jasper, I guess he was going to say no." Alice sipped her hot cocoa, some marshmallow foam sticking to her upper lip and I giggled. "Stop it, okay, I've been jumping to conclusions and seriously, super thank you for pressuring me to just talk to him."

I shrugged, popping another grape in my mouth realizing just how weird hot cocoa went with fruit. It wasn't bad, really. The kitchen was bare, Esme had been working on redesigning the area to make the most window space, the wall between the dining room and kitchen was in the plans to be taken and removed.

"I feel a lot better. Especially because we both agreed we needed to talk more. 'We're friends, with the direction of becoming more.' His words, not mine." She grinned, her marshmallow mustache looking really cute.

"I kissed Edward... Well, I mean, he kissed me... and, we kissed." I studied the swirls in my glass, my shoulders heavy. If Edward would have stayed with me all night I wouldn't be so... off, I wouldn't feel like something was wrong.

"And... you're sad about that?" Alice's hand touched below my elbow junction. Her voice telling me her expression was confused. I sighed, looking around the kitchen again hoping to see Edward's cocky expression telling me to explain in detail just how great it had been. No such luck, Edward was gone.

"He's... He wasn't there when I woke up." I flashed a look to my sister, her eyes squished together in thought. I didn't want her to be upset with him. She was the one with the vision and the one that asked him to stick around me.

"Sometimes he gets pulled to his body though, remember?" Alice said, her voice to careful to be believable. "Maybe his brother showed up and... well, maybe the kiss made him do what you touching him did." I flinched, it didn't feel like he was gone from the spirit world, I felt his absence when that had happened.

"It's different. I think he just... went somewhere." I pushed the half empty plate of grapes away bringing both my hands to form around the mug. "He'll come back, it was just really bad timing, right?"

Alice nodded, not at all sure. I gave my thumbs a half smile since I didn't want to look at Alice, wondering what could have been so important. It must have been James, right? Maybe he followed Carlisle to the hospital, maybe he'll be back by morning, figuring I would sleep in the library and be back before I awoke.

Besides the three day's he had vanished we spent every second together, laughing, reading and just being together. Yes, sometimes James tried to kill me, and yes, sometimes Edward vanished but then we found out we could touch and things became infinitely better. He'd never just left before.

"It's late, maybe you'll dream again," Alice murmured, sliding off the stool while finishing her hot cocoa with one final swig. She put away the grapes and cleaned up our mess. "Who knows, maybe he went to go pull some ghost-flowers for you."

I laughed, covering my mouth with my hand to keep it quiet. Alice took my mug away, grinning at me. We talked a little more about school, Angela being pretty cool about the bath bag thing and just a little about what we should do about Rose. We made our way up stairs quietly and we changed into our pajamas. Alice had both our outfits picked out and I didn't complain. If Edward was interested in me, I needed to do what Rose did.

Sleep didn't bring Edward back. My nerves didn't cool especially so when Alice drove super fast with the top down. Esme had work this morning, when we all made our way downstairs we got our usual mother note 'have a wonderful day, smile, I love you!' and breakfast still warm on the stove. Rose didn't come by but neither of us expected her too. She knew enough to do it alone but it made me sad that we lost our forming routine. We were all becoming sisters by hanging out and getting ready together. Just doing girl stuff, and even if I didn't participate I was still there with them, and now that was over... because of me.

"Do you see her... you know?" I asked Alice as she took a turn to fast and I gripped the door.

"You know I can't see anything until she makes her decision. I don't see much, we just need to give her some time." Alice gave me a sad smile as she shifted the gears and slammed on her breaks as the traffic backed up closer to the school. My safety belt held me and I glared at Alice, her laughter not helping at all.

I keep looking for Edward. Maybe he was already at the school, or went to find Mr. Banner for one reason or another. Could he still be stuck at the hospital? Should I go there to see if he was okay? Had something happened to his body? Carlisle would have said something, right? He hadn't been home but he wouldn't keep working if his nephew passed away. We would have found out.

He has to be okay, he just... _has_ to be.

"Angela is waiting for us." Alice said when my heart finally started beating again as she pulled into a parking spot. Her driving made me shake all over. The roof started to climb over head as I unbuckled my safety belt. I might ask to trade rides with Rose if this is how it was going to be every morning.

Angela handed over the bath bag, she explained everything that went in it with enthusiasm and Alice filled her in on the Jasper situation. That he was seriously having trouble with Maria. I was half there, watching for any sign of Edward and wanting to feel that familiar ghost chill. Emmett gave me a one armed wave over the crowd of people and I nodded back. I looked away though, not wanting him to think I had been looking for him amongst all the students.

Hopefully today people will act normally around him. I guess people take it kind of hard when someone their age dies. It puts things in perspective and Emmett was a walking reminder of that. It still doesn't excuse people being afraid of him, of murmuring behind his back about his life. That was just insult to injury.

Classes went by quickly. It seemed the more I worried about Edward, the more time sped by. I did my best in Mrs. Blanch's class, using that as the excuse to not talk to Lauren. She was unusually quiet, the girl behind us, Stanley I think, she threw three tiny paper balls at her, missing once and hitting the guy in front of her.

He in turn thought it had been Lauren and turned around to snap her pencil in half. The Stanley girl thought that was hilarious and I wondered why the teacher had called me out on day dreaming but seemed to miss Lauren being tormented. It just wasn't right and I felt bad enough to walk with her out of class.

"Do you have an extra pen or anything?" She asked, her voice scared. I wasn't going to snap at her, well, as long as she stayed away from the Edward topic, I handed over one of my extra pencils.

"You can keep it," I told her, she nodded solemnly and walked off in the opposite direction. I hoped the stress of everyone messing with her here didn't hurt the baby. Even if the baby wasn't Edwards, it was still a baby.

No sign of a baby bump though. Since Carlisle told us about the baby being real, I felt sad for Lauren. I think me and a bunch of other people thought she was making it up but... there was someone's child in there.

Before I knew it, it was lunch. My stomach was rumbling but I made my way to our table first since Alice and Angela were sitting there. We'd have to wait in line since more and more students were rushing around but I picked my friends over getting the first pick of the apples. Damn lines.

They were talking about a boy named Ben. I was still looking for Edward, feeling it was less and less likely to find him as the day went by. He wasn't coming; he would be here if he knew that James might come. It must be involuntary.

Why hadn't I dreamed of him then?

Edward had to be trapped somewhere. Had James figured out a way to do something to him? He would have attacked if he knew that Edward was out of the way though, right? God! I just wanted to know what happened! I want to know what is happening... I want to save him if he needs saving.

We walked through the lunch line, Angela asking me once if I was alright. For some reason, Laurens face as that guy turned around and snapped her pencil flashed in my head. I nodded at her, unsure if it was true or not. I would be okay once Edward came back and told me he didn't vanish because of me kissing him. Nothing changed when we all settled back down at our table. I opened my lemonade cap and took a drink as Alice distracted Angela by making her point out which male in the lunch room was Ben.

While they played 'where's waldo' without pointing, I watched Lauren walk into the lunch room with her shoulders stiff. A few people turned in their lunch chairs, their lips moving as she passed but she ignored them all.

Alice kicked me under the table; I flinched looking around for Edward like she might have seen him while I'd been distracted. Except that wasn't possible and I sadly met her eyes and she shook her head no, her light brown eyes tight. I nudged her to look at Lauren in the lunch line and Angela followed my gaze.

Lauren had her tray flipped out of her hands by a passing girl and I heard a few chuckles around the lunch room. How is being a pregnant teenager a crime against them? It wasn't like you could catch being pregnant! The other students not picking on her just stayed quiet or ignored everything going on. This was bullying, and I didn't like it. Alice and I had been ostracized for being different, Angela too. So knowing what she was going through, it made me want to be that person to help.

"She had avoided coming last lunch period, did either of you see her yesterday?" I said, knowing Angela and Alice would probably hiss at me. This was something I felt like I needed to do. My sister would see what awfulness she would bring and Angela hated her from all the torment that she brought her through the years.

"Bella, you need to work on leaving some strays in the wilderness." Alice tisked, her tongue hitting the roof of her mouth to make the noise.

"I think..." Angela looked down at her food. "I think we should be nice to her." Her clear blue eyes found mine and then my sisters. I smiled at her, glad she could see where I was coming from. Angela went through the same thing. When you had just one other person, it made it better.

"We aren't any better than them if we follow their lead. They were exiling Lauren the way they did me." Her shoulders and back straightened up like she would defend her position if Alice or I refused. "I wish I would have had someone to sit with at lunch this last year. So, I'll ask her. I'll show her that not everyone is cruel."

My smiled couldn't have been bigger on the outside, if Edward would show up, then I would truly smile. I couldn't ask him what he thought about us inviting his girlfriend, since they never called it off before Edward had his accident, to sit with me: his... whatever I am. Although if it's not his baby, I'm sure they wouldn't still be dating. She cheated, and maybe our kiss yesterday meant he cheated too.

Either way, I was going to be nice to Lauren while making sure she doesn't take advantage of us. Although, how can I handle her going on and on about her baby daddy or anything else for that matter if I know what actually happened. If she said one word about Edward, I might freak about her lying and could ruin our 'being nice' plan.

"I'll ask with you, if you want." I offered and Angela appreciated that. We smiled sadly to one another.

"Well, I'll save the table and say 'I told you so' when Lauren ends up making us all feel like lesser beings for one reason or another." My sister gave me a warning look with her eyebrow high, Lauren was going to talk about Edward then. I was already doubting myself, doubting what we -Edward and I- really were and without him here... This was a bad idea but looking at Lauren in the lunch line and Angela watching her with recognition, I had too.

Alice was right, I did need to work on my 'taking in all strays' attitude.

Any doubt I had passed when I spotted Emmett. He was watching too, his grip on the table looked painful and his face showed just how mad he was. To him, that child could be his niece or nephew. He was going to do something if we didn't. Emmett didn't need any more stress on his plate.

I stood and Angela followed. We made our way to Lauren, her tray back to rights, she paid for her food and froze before us. She looked scared but angry, like she would attack us back but I held out my hand in a surrender position.

"Would you like to sit with us?" Angela asked, her friendly smile in place and I tried to mimic that and forget about all the mean things she'd done to the Cullen's. She was desperate, anyone could tell that. Maybe her family didn't know yet but they were going to find out if gossip spread as quickly around this town as it did inside the school. If she was kicked out, where would she go?

Not Edward's room. I wouldn't let her.

"Thanks," She whispered, maybe still a bit suspicious. We pointed to our table, Alice giving her a short slightly-peeved wave. I rolled my eyes at my sister, she needed to separate the future from the present. If she doesn't help with the present the future won't change. Of course, Alice might just not like her.

I met Emmett's eyes, he looked confused and far less angry. My smile showed through and Emmett gave me one back, his dimples appearing. They had been a rare sight as of late and I hoped that would change soon. We all took our seats around the round table. We did not even take up half of the table. It was kind of sad.

"Ground rules," Alice announced as Lauren opened her milk looking behind her. Her back was to the wall and if anyone came up she'd have to see them coming. I was beside her and Alice, Angela on her other side. "No mean comments to any of us. They didn't work out with keeping your old friends, it isn't going to help now. We know you tried to blackmail the Cullen's, if you try to use me or my sister, this is over."

Angela nodded, agreeing with both rules before she added one. "Stop making me do more work than you, I'll do the heavy stuff, but you need to help, okay?" Lauren looked at us all with wide eyes, her hands shaking as she nodded.

"I'm trying," She whispered, her hands falling to her lap. "I'm not good at being nice, but I'm trying." I nodded at her, realizing that the two day's I'd sat with her in Biology, actually against my will, she had been nice, kind of.

The atmosphere at our table was heavy. Angela and Alice spoke about some things but avoided any serious topic. Lauren stayed quiet and I was worrying about Edward again. Hopefully he wouldn't be upset that I... invited the beast into my lunch table lair. That saying didn't really work since the lair would be our home, which she hadn't been invited too and wouldn't be if she didn't tell the truth.

"Thanks," Lauren said, her eyes down casted. "But, is this out of pity?" Her voice was messed up, a mix between a whisper, crying, and choking. I wasn't sure what she was going for so just answered for the group.

"Actually, we are giving you a chance," I told her. "We've all been in your shoes, well, not with the pregnancy but, we've all felt what it's like for a whole group of people to... do this." I shrugged and Lauren met my eyes to see I was telling the truth.

"You know, you were one of the people to push me away after I found my religion," Angela whispered. "We had been pretty good friends, even stayed over your house for a few slumber parties."

"I'm still afraid of you," Lauren said, her voice clearer, now that she understood why we were being nice. Maybe she thought we were going to be the meanest to her to get the whole body of students to accept us.

"Don't be. Wicca has a rule of three. Anything I put out in the world, comes back three fold." I listened to her, scanning the room again for Edward and to see if anyone was going to come over to our table to make trouble. Would Emmett help? There was safety in numbers but that didn't mean we were safe.

"So... You never cursed me or anyone?" Angela giggled, shaking her head no.

"If you thought she could curse you, why would you be cruel to her?" Alice asked, "Seriously, you should be cursed just for thinking like that. 'Oh, you might be able to curse me so, let me make sure you have a reason to do what I think you might.'"

Lauren rolled her eyes and gave a small smile. She must know that Alice was making fun of her, but in a friendly way, mostly. Alice would be the hardest for Lauren to win over. Hopefully this didn't hurt my chances with Rose ever liking me again. She'd see this as some kind of betrayal to her family, I'm sure.

"Why were you guys outcasts?" Lauren asked, I had told Angela it was because of our believes so I shared a look with Alice but it was too late. Alice took control like she normally did in this kind of situation.

"We were weird kids. Growing up in the school system, well it freaked people out some of the stuff we did. Plus, our dad was the chief of police down there, and when our dad died, people didn't know how to react. We were basically orphans." Alice shrugged and I nodded alongside her hoping Angela would understand why I didn't want her think we were freaks too.

"Esme was all we had left, until the Cullen's came along. They are fast approaching 'true family.'" I smiled at my little add on and Angela smiled at the two of us. I had a feeling if they ever knew the truth their responses would be similar to Rose's. Lauren's brows rose and she put her plastic fork down.

"So they out casted you because of your dad's death?" Angela gave a quick glare to Lauren and she looked confused. She is bad at being nice.

"We took it kind of hard," I whispered, plus, that day in class Alice had freaked the hell out seeing it before it happened. She'd panicked about seeing her dad. It was why witnessing my death had been so hard on her. It just brought back all the memories. "I kept asking to see him again. If I'd see someone who looked close to him, from behind or from a far I'd scream and chase him. There was a father of another girl during parent conferences that I freaked out on, and a man working at a grocery store."

Alice nodded, while Angela reached over to squeeze my hand. I was kind of glad they didn't ask how old we were when he died, that behavior wasn't appropriate, I knew better... Only I really did wish to see him. You know, as long as he could go back to heaven or whatever is on the other side.

"When Edward was in that accident, I... well I couldn't believe it at first." I tensed immediately; Lauren was not talking about that. I just shared with her and her sharing lies was so not going to work out for her. "He was the first guy... the first one to want to get to know me before... well you know. I just wish he would have found out about our-"

"No," I snapped at her and even Angela looked up in surprise. "You do not get to lie. So answer me this, Lauren... Did you ever sleep with Edward?" Her mouth dropped open and her eyes narrowed.

"I knew this was too good to be true," She hissed, packing up her things on her tray getting ready to leave.

"I have it on good authority that Edward never slept with you. It's why you guys fought, you wanted him too and he wouldn't. I won't have you using Edward's name, no, not when I know for sure that child isn't his." She stopped moving, her eyes slowly rising. "I don't care about your past Lauren, but for the future, well if we are going to be friends, it's going to be based off trust. You wanted Edward to be the father but knew there wasn't any way it could be."

She left, standing and walking toward the garbage cans with her shoulders hunched. Maybe she wouldn't sit with us tomorrow, but either way I hope she realizes that lies about Edward were not going to be tolerated. Now, if only he'd show up to let me know I did the right thing. I did just yell at a pregnant lady, kind of.

"Woah," Angela whispered.

"It was part of the rules," Alice shrugged. "She should have known that any member of our new family shouldn't be spoken about... and, it really isn't Edward's, she doesn't know who's child it is." Angela shook her head like she was trying to wrap her head around everything that happened.

The bell rang and we all moved together. Emmett caught up with us and told us thanks. I blushed guiltily while Alice let him know that it didn't really work out since she pushed our buttons and left angry. He reminded us that we tried. It was nice that he smiled again; he looked really different when he smiled.

Edward didn't show up. I zombied my way through school. Angela was worried all though our class together, I don't think her eye brows ever stopped being squished together. I tried to act normal but between Lauren and that damn kiss... My brain didn't stop. Edward was always here, he would be here if he could be. He wouldn't leave without letting me know first what was going on.

He wouldn't leave me.

Alice drove me home and she helped me with dinner after an hour or so of me freaking out to her about Edward not being around. Esme would be home around five thirty and cooking always unstressed me. I'd cooked when Edward had vanished before so I did it again. Everything was just about finished by five and Alice went around rounding everyone up. Carlisle came home first and gave me a half hug with a thanks for cooking.

"How was school?" I studied his face trying to see if he was keeping Edward's status to himself to not let everyone panic. He seemed more relaxed than normal and I dropped my gauze after a moment.

"Good, and work?" His face stayed calm but he did raise an eyebrow at my voice which seemed to come out in weird spurts of high pitched panic. His head turned to the side as if trying to see me better.

"Is everything alright, Bella?" I nodded, motioning for him to take his seat as Rose brushed passed me without a single glance. Was that better or worse than her giving me glares? She didn't acknowledge me at all vs. fearing for my nipples being ripped off at any given moment when she glared.

Alice took the reins and when Esme came home she couldn't be fooled. She knew I only cooked when really upset and since I couldn't concentrate and kept looking into the kitchen wanted Edward's red hair to pop out.

Once dinner was finished and Carlisle asked his kids to clean up since Alice and I cooked, Esme hunted me down. I wasn't even in the hall way before Esme had me wrapped up to her bosom and I got a nice big hug. I didn't care that she smelled like hospital and faintly like detergent. She loved me.

I told her everything, even the kiss. By the end I was cuddled up to my mother with her nails tracing arbitrary lines and circles across my back. It's what she'd always do for me when I couldn't sleep or had a stomach ache. Carlisle called out to her and I pulled away, I felt better but I still didn't want her to go.

Esme kissed the top of my head, telling me to have faith. If Edward left, it was for a good reason. "He's probably out hunting bad ghosts, he's still stable at the hospital and if he kissed you... I know he'll be back."

She winked at me and I smiled while trying to resist the muscles in my face. Yes, he'll be back soon. Only, as another hour went by there was still not a sign, not even a tingle of a ghost being near.

The closest thing I could get to being with Edward, was his room. So I went there, my legs guiding me in a trance from my room. I twisted the knob, glad that Edward had been right about it being unlocked. The room was dark and I felt around for the switch while making sure no one was in the hall. It was after dinner but the sun was still shinning, did this room not have any windows?

When I found the switch I flipped it and closed the door before someone noticed. I held my breath, my eyes closed as I gripped the knob afraid to turn around. What if there were pictures of Lauren and him? Or, all the girls he's been with. It was one thing to hear about it, or to know vaguely about his month here before the accident, I didn't want to see it.

My eyes opened and I scanned the room quickly before slamming my eyes closed again. Wait, I pealed them back taking in the room. Everything was boxed up, the key board and the bed was the only things seemingly untouched, the black blankets a mess on top of his pale sheets. It was a massive bed, probably a king. I shivered thinking about a different girl being tangled up in his sheets and Edward playing for her.

Who had packed everything up, and why? He wasn't dead, was it before Carlisle knew Alice and I wanted to share a room? Had it been Emmett in a weird attempt to find closer? I shivered, the air seeming to drop a few degrees as the palm of my hand came up to brush across the cardboard side of the box closest to me.

I pulled the tops apart, the box popping open and a whole array of CD's were stacked there. I looked around the boxes and sure enough a massive shelf was covering most of the far wall, some wires coming out of the center. He had a stereo system somewhere around here. Maybe I could put everything back for him, without anyone noticing what I was doing, of course. I wouldn't want the packer of these boxes to get upset.

The box was heavy. I waddled over to the shelf and placed the CD box in front of it. The next two I looked into were CD's too but the fourth one, it was notebooks. I pulled one out and flipped it open to a random page, music symbols and lines were drawn across the page, a top of the page had the initials MSS written across the top. Was that a girlfriend of his? MSS? I pulled out a second one and that too was filled with composed pieces. I wouldn't get to hear Edward play, not unless he came back and woke up with his body.

"I've been gone for less than a day and you're already going through my things." I dropped the book of sheet music, eyes wide and hands shaking. He's back!

He hugged me before I could think to move and I wrapped my shaking arms around him trying not to cry this time. I had cried enough and now I didn't care where he went or why he had to go. He was back. That was enough.

"James has been following Victoria," Edward whispered. "I think they found a way to communicate because Victoria has been thinking in her native language, before she never did. Something is going on and I really need to know what it is." I clung closer to him, what did this mean, exactly?


	16. Chapter 16

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer's planted the seed for this story and let me borrow her characters to let this side play unfold. Buy her products and such.

A/N: Happy Holidays and a new year... the best gift would be a nice review.

'Did you just tell me to suck a Popsicle? Is that even insulting?'

Chapter 16

It is so cold in the mornings. Leaving my blankets behind had been the hardest thing I've done since we moved here, especially with Edward and his arms all tangled up in them. I sighed; it was one of those mornings where I woke up in a bad mood. I guess leaving my blankets isn't the _top_ hardest thing, it pales in comparison to losing my new sister before I had her, being a freak my whole life and crushing hard on a guy who may never have a real body. I sighed again softer, stretching before padding my way into the bathroom. Alice was already there with her nose practically pressed against the glass as she did her make-up.

I walked over to the toilet to pee, knowing Alice wouldn't care. We had shared a womb, and if you've ever seen a birth you know there are some nasty things up there. Who knows what kind of sharing we did during those almost-eight months.

We'd been preemie's.

"I saw Jasper and Maria kiss," Alice mumbled. For a moment I thought I misheard until she turned to look at me in the mirror. I assumed in a vision since she couldn't have seen them since going to sleep last night. "I'm not sure if it's just Maria's plan or what she has decided. Jasper said he was going to break it off with her. Although they aren't together but... he seemed really into it. The kiss I mean."

"Maybe you're making it happen." I shrugged trying to get my still sleeping brain to kick into comfort-sister mode. "You know, like you see this happen so you stop pursuing Jasper so he goes back to Maria... A weird future loop." Alice pursed her lips before nodding and rooting through her make-up box on the counter.

"Yeah... That could be it." Her eyes were shiny, the way they get when she fights back tears. I put my sleeping pants to rights before coming up beside her.

"If you know what you want, go get it. I know you Alice, being passive isn't in your nature. Jasper said he wanted you, right? Well, you can't be thinking about Maria's feelings or plans. Work it, sister-mine. You might regret it if you don't." She nodded, giving me a bit of a smile before she pointed to the outfit she had moved in here for me. I changed and was in the middle of brushing my teeth when Edward got impatient with being alone. Or, more like, he wanted to see me every ten seconds now that he knew James had a solid plan. Too bad Alice couldn't see James, although she should be able to see Victoria.

"Bella?" Edward asked, his hand passing through the door like he tried to knock. I opened the door since I didn't want to spray tooth paste by speaking and both Alice and I were decent. He relaxed once he could see into the bathroom and I rolled my eyes.

"Edward?" Alice mumbled, looking at me until I pointed with my toothbrush to face the door frame, she looked straight on when she turned to him, so she was staring at his stomach while she held her half of a mental conversation. I rolled my eyes. I'd figure out what she asked with Edward's response, I hated when she was all secretive with him. Sometimes it felt like the two of them were planning something for me, without me.

Maybe they were friends. Who knows! Edward doesn't tell me anything.

Edward groaned, his hand coming up to massage his temple. I spit, rinsing my mouth as Alice turned to me to get his answer and reaction. I acted like I needed to rinse again since Edward was still struggling and I didn't want Alice to get be uncomfortable. I put up my finger and flicked my gaze to Edward's.

"No." He hissed, "I can't..." I shrugged and went for the towel, planning on playing hard ball and protect my sisters feelings at the same time.

"What did you ask him?" I attempted to make it sound nonchalant as I wiped off my face. For a moment I thought Alice was going to tell me before she just shrugged and said never mind, walking through Edward into our room. This made me turn to Edward with a raised eyebrow. He looked uncomfortable and shrugged with a pleading expression to drop it.

Well donkey-nuggets, I hated being left out of the loop. I felt off when I pressured Edward to spill what he hears with his gift, so I don't. Alice must be asking about Jasper though, if Edward was refusing to answer.

With Rose, Lauren, myself and now Alice in a bad mood, I knew that this was going to be an awful day. Maybe I could play sick? No, that wouldn't fly. Having your new step dad actually being a doctor really didn't work so well in that department.

"She keeps seeing Victoria. Apparently something is happening but she doesn't know what yet." He lied to me. He didn't only keep things from me, but he lied. I knew that wasn't what she originally asked him. Him covering it up for her makes my stomach clench and I wondered what that meant momentarily. Was I upset he was lying for her? I would do the same so I couldn't be too upset.

My whole body reacted though, giving a little shutter. I was overloaded. I needed a nice warm bath, some tea and brownies.

I was so over this, I just wanted to go to school, ignore ghosts, and every one's problems. I stepped around Edward and packed up my backpack. He dropped the topic knowing I had seen through his cover up and I was letting it go. Hopefully I'd missed Rose again today. I didn't want another bruise from her rough shoves.

Alice had already gone downstairs so Edward and I made our way down. She must have been upset with me. We always walked down together and with Edward lying for her, our walk down was tense. Edward was making me nervous. He looked at me every couple of steps and I tried to ignore it, but I ran my fingers through my hair just to be sure nothing was sticking out.

I should have done something with the little I knew about make-up. Maybe it was just my face that Edward was puzzling over. Apparently new outfits weren't enough for Edward to comment on, Alice needed to kick up her game. If Rose was going the full length to get Emmett to notice, I might have to do the same. Rose was beautiful, if she had to go that far, there wasn't much hope for the rest of us.

Why did I care, Edward was apparently a liar. This made me huff internally at myself for being one of those girls who liked guys that weren't good for her, me, whatever!

Carlisle was in the kitchen, leaning over the breakfast bar with a plate of eggs and a half eaten piece of toast in his hands. A few men I didn't know in white cover all's were working in the dining room. Two of them were moving the table top from the room, the legs having been removed.

"Good morning Bella, you just missed Emmett and Jasper." I gave a sheepish smile not sure what that meant since we always drove separate. Alice was at the stove with a slice hanging out of her mouth. Edward guided me to the food on the stove and Esme's note was beside it telling us all to have a wonderful day. Usually Carlisle was at work and Esme was in the kitchen surveying the home improvements, this was kind of odd.

"We have to wait for Rose," Alice said, covering her mouth with a cupped hand so her crumbs didn't go everywhere. Carlisle gave a smile that made me wonder if maybe he knew about this and had Jasper and Emmett leave before us. I narrowed my eyes and turned to Edward. He was still trying to get me to eat breakfast. My food intake hadn't been very consistent and those grapes were laying heavy in my stomach since I ate them right before I went to bed.

"Morning," Rose growled from the door frame of the kitchen. She nodded to Carlisle so I assumed that she was purposefully leaving Alice and me out of her greeting. Since I had an excuse to get away from the food, I did, letting Rose get what she wanted.

She was stunning. Her hair slightly curled and flowing, her tight shirt showing off just enough to be classy but draw some looks. Her legs were long and toned, the leggings hugging her so tight it was a second skin. Edward did not peek at her, he did not turn to see her, and this did something to my tummy as he stared at _me_.

"You're going to have to talk to her, you might be surprised." Edward offered, "and, It's hard enough trying to keep everything balanced I don't want to add your diet as something I need to worry about." I rolled my eyes, still a bit nervous since I hadn't told him about the Lauren thing yesterday and I didn't know what we were.

I waved to Carlisle before exiting the kitchen and putting my shoes on by the door. Hopefully Rose, Alice and Carlisle could have a nice breakfast without me mucking up the atmosphere. I snuck out so I could talk to Edward and noticed that Emmett and Jasper had left in the Jeep. It was getting colder and I wished I could go back to get a thicker jacket but wanted to talk to Edward a bit more. We spoke about Victoria and him being an awful tracker last night. Apparently Alice had also seen her in the hospital with Carlisle and that Victoria is going to drop off some flowers for Edward this weekend.

I'm going to be there for that.

The wind picked up and my hair whipped around, both of us going quiet. He was standing in front of me, his face tense. All other topics were covered, I either had to open up with what our relationship was or Rose. I am a coward.

"Tell me what Rose thinks of me then." I snapped just a little and Edward's face turned a bit surprised. He shook his head and looked away toward the woods as he started to walk the rest of the way to the Porsche. Maybe the doors wouldn't be locked and it would be a bit warmer in there. I tried the handle and was glad it gave. I climbed in the back with Edward close behind.

"Bella..." He gave me a narrow eyed look, he hated giving away peoples thoughts. I was tired of the lies and him leaving things out. I reached into my back pack to pull out the book Alice borrowed from the library. I was actually not that into it, but I wanted Edward to spill the beans and I didn't want to beg. I opened to my book mark and scanned the page for my spot. So far it's just been about success stories and how the different types of comatose damage can be treated. Apparently the medical field deals with comatose patients by keeping their bodies alive and hoping they wake up. "Okay, she's... she's just upset that gifts... she didn't get one and they seem less rare now that she met someone else who has one."

So ignoring Edward worked best at getting information that he doesn't want to share. I flushed with guilt for a moment before my forehead crinkled. But she only knew Edward's gift and mine. That wasn't a bunch of people. Why would she want one, it just makes life harder... My eyes widened. Edward asked if Carlisle collected me, like he wasn't the only one and James had a gift but it hadn't been super apparent about what it was... so beside Edward...

"Who?" I asked, my eyes searching Edwards as he sighed. Our conversation in the garage coming back to me, it was not his secret to tell... Someone else... someone in this family might understand, might have a gift... and that would be great! In a really selfish way, it made me feel better that someone else was in the same boat, suffered in the same way.

I'm an awful person. I know for sure now.

Emmett has been quiet, he's always been a bit off but I chalked that up to losing so much of his family in such a short time. Jasper, he's been weirdly perceptive, watching me extra closer or a big longer than normal when weird things happen... It could be either of them. Or, both! Holy crap, maybe the whole Cullen family knew about gifts. If Rose always wanted one keeping mine a secret may be to her advantage. Perhaps hanging out like sisters had been for her a place she could go to get away from all the supernatural shit and then BAM! She's hit with me and my weirdness and she's back to being the outcast. How... _strange_. The one who's normal to feel like an outcast because she doesn't have a quirk.

"Its not-"

"Your secret to tell, I know, I know." I rolled my eyes as Alice's door was opened. She stepped in, I turned to see Rose coming up to our car and Carlisle in the doorway making sure she went with us.

"He took her keys," Alice muttered as Rose opened the passenger side door. Her face was so tight and angry that I looked away. It was just awkward now. Edward and I were half fighting and Rose and I were three-fourths fighting.

The car ride was really silent besides Edward's occasional push for me to say something to Rose. He knows I'm upset when he tries to touch my arm and he passes through. It wouldn't be that bad if he just told me he liked me and didn't want to just use me as the only girl around until he's back on his feet, or, in his body. Technically, that is the same thing but you get my drift.

Edward needed to let me know what we were.

Rose can suck a popsicle if she thinks I'm going to talk first. I shouldn't have to feel bad for being born like this. I hate it, besides the whole Edward thing. This has sucked for me since my dad first thought I had schizophrenia at the age of two and a half.

Alice looked at me with wide eyes in the rear view mirror before I noticed Rose turned around in her seat with narrowed eyes. Edward... of all things, chuckled and I looked at him like he was crazy. Did he just hear my thoughts?

"What did you just say?" I think my mouth fell open. No... I didn't just say that out loud. "Did you just tell me to suck a Popsicle? Is that even insulting?" Then when I really started to get nervous Rose cracked up too, unknowingly joining her cousin in his laughter. "Ha! I had you pegged all wrong." She wiped at her eyes before she turned back in her seat, facing forward. We pulled into a parking spot before Rose turned around again.

"Wait... what Edward thing?" I flinched, it's an automatic response. Shit, how in the hell did I lose my filter? I must be getting lax in my self-protection. I never, ever, say anything that could implicate me... How in the hell did I let that slip?

"Nothing." I hissed and as Alice pulled her seat up for me to climb out. Rose was frozen and I book it, again, not wanting a confrontation. I felt a bit bad for leaving Alice behind but she'd just mope about Jasper again. I'd been on sister-comfort mode for so long that I thought it was a little over due for Alice to be there for me. Edward kept up of course, if anything I was going slow for him. Rose didn't call after or chase me, which was nice.

"She'll find you." Edward said, shrugging his shoulders. "We've always been close... Since I know how she thinks, I've kind of always been the one to understand her. Not many people do, if any." I stopped, two cars on either side and a row away from the front lawn. I looked around, no one was close but there were some students.

"Listen, Edward." I flicked my angry eyes to him, my voice low in conscientiousness and anger. Apparently I was all about being pissed today. "For one day, I don't want to hear about James, Victoria or Rose. Okay? I don't want to be a freaky gifted-person who may or may not be in a twisted relationship with you. I want to just breathe today, eat greasy chips and get a smoothie."

I stormed off, once again leaving a Cullen surprised and frozen behind me.

...

I slipped into the library, giving the nice librarian a half wave as I signed in like she showed me. My ghost radar flared for a moment and I was hopeful that Edward was finally going to see me today. I guess he was following my wish, letting me ignore ghosts all day by staying away.

Today, I was mostly a normal student... but I missed him. The phrase, be careful what you wish for came to mind.

Lauren was very non-dramatic today. She surprised me but not elbowing me or hissing insults to me or to others about me. Her shoulders were slumped and although we were forced to sit together through Biology, she was nowhere to be seen for lunch. I hoped she was packing her lunch and not starving herself to avoid the taunts. I almost felt bad for not ignoring her Edward comment.

Since I didn't want to see Mr. Banner, I sat in the open area in the center hopeful that he would stay away today. I pulled out my notebook and started working on my history worksheet while starring the items to study those points for the exam in the text book. A moment later the chair across from me was pulled out. For some strange reason I was hopeful that it was Edward, only he couldn't pull out anything right now.

It was the guy in Alice's vision who gets his face shoved into a locker.

"Hey." He half-whispered to me. I gave him a little nod to acknowledge him and went back to my homework. I really should be careful what I wish for. If this was being normal for a day, I didn't want it. "Whatcha working on?"

Whatcha? Is that even English? Oh god, I thought he was dating that Jessica girl? I'd seen them making out before school started with Angela. We'd laughed and moved around them. I don't even think they noticed us.

"History homework." I grumbled back, not lifting my head from the assignment. Hopefully he would get the hint. I've been attempting to fly under the radar all day. Mostly because of Rose but also because I've been bummed that Edward hadn't spoken to me since the parking lot. I usually don't see Rose though, unless it's in the courtyard and I'd been careful to stay away from everyone.

Alice saved me twice, finding me and moving me before Rose could come find me. Apparently Rose had most of her friends keeping an eye out for me. I'm either going to the public library after school or hiding under Edward's bed until Alice tells me it's okay to come out late at night. I will avoid her... hopefully forever.

"I'm an expert in history, ask away. I can help." I finally looked up and Mike's face had a weird copy of Edward's half grin on his face. Is this some kind of weird pick up line or something? I shivered, a bit freaked out that all crooked smiles are now trademark of Edward in my head.

"I should be okay." I turned back to my assignment as Mike shrugged and pulled out his phone, his back was to the librarian. If he thought I was going to warn him when she walks closer to him, he's wrong. I flinched when a guy in jeans slid backwards on the table I was working on. He just missed the corner of my notebook.

What, is this flirt with the new girl day?

Isn't there like a guy code or something, like you have to wait until the other one strike's out before moving in? I looked up with a frown and I met Edward's tense gaze. I dropped my head quickly and closed my eyes, hoping no one noticed.

I might have to avoid Edward forever too. Do you think he'll look under his bed?

My pencil fell from my fingers and Mike looked up at me with a little flirty smile. I tried to act normal. Not sure how to talk to Edward with Mike right there. It would also help if he said something and stopped glaring at my head like that.

"This is what you call 'normal'?" Edward was angry. Well, this wasn't something I exactly expected. Maybe it crossed my mind a few times that him avoiding me was out of anger and not because I said I wanted to avoid ghosts. I hadn't really considered Edward in the ghost category. It was a communication error which upset Edward greatly.

I pulled my notebook toward me careful not to move it through Edward. I wasn't sure if he found it rude, but I did. I flipped to a clean page and wrote in small-ish print. 'No, apparently I don't know what normal is.' Hopefully that was something Edward could understand. I tried to take in his expression as he read it but again I was out in the open there.

He sighed, his hand moving up to either push his hair back or pinch his nose. I didn't see which since Mike tried again.

"Don't you want to ask me about Forks?" Mike's head was cocked to the side with his eyes crinkled like he was enjoying a joke I hadn't understood yet. I bite, knowing that whatever it was, it was just going to make Edward's mood worse.

"Uh, yeah... sure." I was almost afraid when Mike leaned closer to me across the table and folded his arms over his notebook. His notes from history were far shorter than my own. He whispered like it was a secret he's letting me in on.

"Boring as hell." He laughed and I gave a small fake chuckle to appease his ego. He wasn't not a bad guy, he was just working the wrong girl. If I was normal, I might find this appealing. Mike just had no idea that Edward was his competition if he was entering this race.

"I can show you some cool places around town if you want to hang out sometime." Edward flinched and I smiled, glad Mike was being nice at least. Also, Edward being jealous left me hopeful.

"He's broadcasting, Bella." Edwar moved a little between Mike and I and I wondered if that movement was unconscious or not. "Say no thank you." I flicked my gaze to Edward, upset that he wanted to tell me what to do.

"That might be nice. Thanks," I told Mike, giving him the best smile I could give right now. Mike beamed back and started packing up his things. Edward sighed while Mike said goodbye and moved back over to his friends at the table closest to the computers.

"You realize you just made him forty dollars." I rolled my eyes as Edward did a break dance three sixty on the table to step off the other side and took Mike's still pulled out seat to look me in the face. "Eric and Tyler bet each other twenty that by the end of the day one of them would have a date with you."

Oh. That's what Tyler meant today in Algebra when he asked if I wanted to study with him. I assumed he needed help and I just had more life threatening things to deal with even if I was ignoring them for the day and most of this week. I wasn't sure who Eric was but as I looked over at the table Mike had went to, I recognized him as a guy in my English class. I'd been chatting away with Alice during every break, I almost felt bad that he never had his chance.

"You aren't upset about that?" Edward's eye brows were raised, his lips in a thin line and I didn't like his tone. He'd vanished without telling me, ignored my question on 'what exactly we were', I haven't seen him all day and he told me to turn down Mike. Which I would have turned him down if he hadn't told me too. He was driving me insane and I wanted to kiss him again but I also didn't want to until I knew.

'I have other things to be upset about.' I wrote, my loopy hand writing looked illegible but Edward could read it. He had to climb up on his hands to read it since I wasn't going to move it toward him.

"My cousins are almost here." Edward didn't seem alarmed but I jolted into action. I shoved my open notebook into my backpack making most of the pages flip up and fold over on itself. My book was next and I didn't even attempt to zip it closed as I stood from my seat. Jasper was right there, my nose almost pressed into his tan sweater.

Yes, he dressed like an apple-computer employee. Side satchel included.

"Sit, please." Jasper's voice was calming and I listened to him because running like a lunatic would not help me in the least. Edward was no help at all, he kicked his feet up on the table still seated in Mike's chair. Rose pulled the chair out beside me and Jasper leaned against the table between our two chairs. I liked that he was a barrier between us, only, I didn't think it was for my benefit, it was for Rosalie.

"Rose, go first." From the beginning I'd only seen Jasper and Rose's differences. At first I didn't think they had special-twin talk, were rarely seen together and the only interactions they've had were augmentative. Now, looking at Rose's frowning face and Jasper's broad tense shoulders I could see it. I could see that they relied on each other. Rose was just always abrasive, always upset about something and Jasper knew her, knew her better than anyone.

They did have twin talk, it was just different, it didn't involve eye contact like Alice and mine. Theirs is all about proximity, their body language; it was like they were tethered together... You'd have to see it, really focus and see it. It is so easy to miss.

"I'm angry with you." Rose started, I flashed my eyes to Edward but he wasn't looking at me. Everyone was upset with me, I was getting used to it. I still had to decide if that was a good thing or not. "Edward and I were very close by my standards and you kept him from me, us, our whole family."

Well... I guess Edward was right, I should have just told them. I sighed and looked down. Could I just skip to the good parts or something? Instead of being born a ghost-seer I should have been born a time jumper.

"We understand why you did this though. Sharing something like that is very... risky, as you know from Rose's reaction to finding out." Jasper continued since apparently that was all Rose wanted to say. I knew that already so this talk seemed pointless. I caught him giving Rose a stern look, so I guess she wasn't done either. She sighed.

Edward gave nothing away. He was leaving me stranded.

"I can't blame you. I'd do the same thing. But... Is- is he here?" My eyes popped and I thought for sure they'd fall out and roll across the floor. Then I wouldn't see anything, especially ghosts. "Since you can... does that mean..." She looked away and muttered. I leaned forward worried that what I thought I just heard, was what she really just said. She wouldn't ask me to bring him back, she wouldn't.

That would be cruel. Unimaginable.

"Is he gone, can he ever return to his body?" Jasper took over for her, his eyes narrowed. "Can you bring him back?" His face blurred, my eyes filling. I dropped my gaze to Jasper's feet and broke down slowly. "Bring him back."

He was ordering me to save him.

No one moves. They wanted me to save him, they wanted an answer from me and I couldn't... I didn't know! I can't change fate, I can't magically wave my hand and have Edward appear to them. Asking me to do this... it makes it my fault if he can't come back, It makes Edward my responsibility.

They will hate me now, if his body dies and he never comes back.

Alice squeezed in front of me pushing Jasper out of the way. Her tiny hands pulled me up, my backpack over her shoulder next to her own. I don't know what Edwards reaction had been, I don't know if he followed me not, but Alice led me out of the library, and I again left some of the Cullen's behind me, shocked.

I had to save Edward, or everything would be wrong.


	17. Chapter 17

Moonstruck Souls

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer's is the rightful and only owner of the twilight characters, items, movies, books, etc. Please, I own nothing, don't sue me.

A/N: I'm getting back in my groove. :) Be grateful. Oh, do you think SM used to write Fan-fiction? I'm thinking she did. Everything thank my Beta: Synphilia. She makes my chapters readable. Go read her stories!

"My eyes aren't glistening with the ghosts of my past!"  
-** Harry Potter** in **the Goblet of Fire**

Chapter Seventeen:

That evening Alice drove me to my favorite smoothie shop. They were a small franchise so the drive was about two hours long. It was incredible that one had even been so close (although kind of far). I'd only ever seen them in Arizona. Esme had already been informed, Alice called her at work. She had been worried and talking to her had made me feel better.

Well, as good as I could feel at this moment. Jasper and Rosalie, the first two Cullens to find out I can see ghosts, expected me to bring Edward back but... I just wasn't certain that was possible. Especially in my hands. If I failed and Edward died, what did that make me? Responsible! They would blame me forever.

Driving made it impossible for Edward to appear since we were constantly moving. I'd like to think that is why Edward hasn't appeared but he could just be giving me space. We never stopped moving, just in case. Alice took us all around Port Angeles. We went through the drive through at the smoothie shop, and even though I wasn't in the mood for a smoothie, I got a banana-creme supreme. It was delicious. We blasted the heater and occasionally a song, and didn't talk about our crazy lives.

It was almost like, for one evening... It was just Alice and me. No new town, no lives in the balance, no twisted visions of my death and no homicidal unseen force trying to eliminate the Cullen's and myself. It was almost as if Jasper and Rose were not relying on me to bring a pretty much dead body back to life.

Alice kept me busy. We didn't talk about Edward, which was almost hard to do. He's been my constant companion, my first kiss and my first crush. He's been so ingrained in my new life here that anything we spoke about involuntarily reminded me of him. I missed his comments constantly in the background, us sharing a candid look because we did have a secret, one that sometimes seemed funny.

When we got back home around midnight, Esme was waiting up for us, her robe wrapped around her and a cup of coffee in her grip. My tears returned, all Alice's efforts to get me to stop sobbing were futile. Esme set her mug down and surrounded me.

"This was too quick, we moved too soon. I already spoke to Carlisle. We can get an apartment, the three of us." Her hands and nails feathered through my hair, my shoulders shaking harder. "Rose, Jasper and I had a long talk. They agreed to keep quiet to Emmett and Carlisle, thinking it best for the both of them not to know about Edward."

Alice let us have our moment. Moving passed us and up the stairs with our bags. I couldn't let Esme give up this house, her new husband and everything she has now because of this. Her willingness to give it all up for me, that meant more than anything, but I wouldn't let her go through with this. She shouldn't have to suffer because of James, Rose or anyone.

Esme deserved her happiness.

"I don't want to move." I sniffed and pulled away, my hand finding hers. Edward came in the room through the kitchen doors, literally moving through them. "They just... asked me to save him, and I... I don't know how. What if I can't? What if Edward becomes permanent as he is. They weren't cruel, they just didn't know or understand what they were asking when I'm already struggling with this."

Esme tucked my head into her bosom again, rocking me from side to side. "That was cruel. They shouldn't have asked that of you. You didn't ask to see ghosts, but I do think they just wanted to know if it was possible. They couldn't understand without you explaining it to them. Maybe you should try and talk to them again after you calm down. They both seemed very worried when they couldn't find you after school." She pulled back and met my gaze; she held it for quite some time. "You sure you don't want to move?" I shook my head no. "Well, how about you stay home tomorrow. Take a day off. We'll watch that show you like about those switched girls."

I smiled, avoiding looking at Edward over Esme's shoulder. She guided me in her arms up to the second floor, kissed my forehead and told me she loves me. I gripped her hand for longer than necessary and she gave me all the time I needed. It meant so much to me, the fact that if I couldn't handle it here; she would take care of me. Esme would sacrifice everything she's built here, literally and figuratively, for me.

Esme is my mother. I should have known she would react this way. I needed her.

Edward acted creepy; like a real ghost with the dark eyes and stalker distance as he followed me. I didn't go to my room; I knew Alice would understand so I slipped into Edward's. His bed is huge, I remembered it from when he disappeared and I unpacked his things. So I felt around, following the path and brushing my finger tips along the boxes before I fell into the fluffy mattress. I had to kick a book away; it flopped to the floor making a paper crumpling noise as I buried myself in his blankets and pillows. It smelled like mint.

Edward didn't say a word. His ghostly form stayed a foot away from his mattress, just staring at me as I closed my eyes and tried to forget.

...MS.

Waking up alone did something to me. Alice has been my constant companion, attached at all body parts since forever... Edward had filled in the spaces, being my secret friend who followed me everywhere, insuring that all my previous alone moments were now filled with him and his snide comments.

So here I was, in a comatose patient's empty, slightly boxed up room... by myself.

Being unfamiliar with the room, I didn't know if there was a clock to look for, so didn't bother. The thick black curtains were pulled closed so I moved, leaving behind my blankets willingly. When my fingers gripped the course fabric letting the sun into the room, something moved in the corner of the room closest to the bed, scaring the turtle squirts out of me. I yelped, clutching my heart.

Please not James, or any other ghosts really.

"Bella?" Edward asked a question in his voice but of course I didn't know what he was asking. I was never sure with him. My heart was racing and I sighed before turning away from him. Would this ever stop? Would I ever just be a normal girl with a normal crush whose biggest fear was being embarrassed publicly? Isn't that what normal girls are most afraid of? If I was normal, I would know these things!

So to avoid Edward, like I've been doing, I just stared out his window. The trees were fading from green to red and all the colors in between. I should be brave, I should just ask him. Would it really be that simple? 'Hey, Edward... uhh, so no offense or anything but I'm not just a number, right?' I didn't think that would go in a good direction.

"I didn't know," His whispered, his breath close and cool. I shivered, why? Because it was Edward that close, breathing all soft and sweet whispering something I hoped would turn into a confession of sorts. "If you can't save me, it'll be okay. I'm in a coma because of James, it's not your responsibility."

My stomach turned.

Of course he didn't understand. Seriously? This wasn't about the fact that Rose and Jasper wanted me to save him. Hello, I wanted to save him! That was normal for them to ask; it's the fact that I couldn't tell Rose or Jasper, 'yes, I can do it, don't worry.' Because I'm worried! Because I can't! I want to save him and the whole point of me being upset yesterday was that I might not be able too. That it won't be okay. Everything now rests on Edward coming back and since I'm connected to the dead, it's on me.

If I want my life to include Edward, he has to be real. I can't be the cat lady living alone with a ghost friend who doesn't age. I don't want to be the girl that falls for the guy she can't ever have. So nothing will be okay ever again if I can't do this. So I told him, I was a coward and refused to look at him, but I spilled my guts because I was too afraid to ask Edward to spill his. I just word vomited all my fears, everything I couldn't do, or have never done before, and I didn't cry because I'd already done it so much the day before.

"It won't be _okay_, Edward. It'll never be okay ever again if I can't bring you back! Rose and Jasper just made me realize it. Being away from you hurts and I don't think it has anything do with this ghost-gift." I took a deep breath, shuttering as I did so.

His cold fingers brushed the back of my arm. I closed my eyes, too afraid to turn to him. I didn't want to see his stupid confused face. But I'd prefer that to him looking at me like I was crazy or with pity. Silly Bella thinking that Edward, _the_ Edward with the big reputation could ever be interested in a girl who could speak to the dead.

Actually, everyone can speak to the dead, I could just hear their response.

"Bella." It was a sigh, an exasperated sigh with my name in it. Not what I wanted to hear. See, I didn't say the three big words that were exploding inside of me. This was already so complicated... this new world I have here was already a big ball of stress. Did I need those three words from him? No, because if I said them and they hung between us like a negative on negative magnet. I'd be humiliated... and lose Edward.

"Will you come with me?" His hand gripped mine. I expected him to pull, to try and force me to follow, but he stayed still. The kind of still only the dead could master. Did that freak me out? Not as much as I expected it too. I nodded, turning toward him but keeping my face down, looking as his dark shoes that he could never take off.

"I bet you'll never wear black again after being stuck in this outfit." And the tenseness between us spiraled back to normal. He laughed, looking back at me with mirth in his eyes and a crooked smile. How could I not smile back?

We went down the stripped-of-carpet steps and instead of going to the left, which is where I was used to going, he turns right and into the second living room. Everyone else called it the music room. Esme had moved all the other living room furniture to this room so there were too many couches. No one ever came in here.

Edward stopped in front of the piano. I pulled the music bench out and shimmied around to sit in the middle. I expected him to sit beside me, but he didn't move, standing off to the side with a look of desperation.

"Can I try something?" How could I tell him no? He sat behind me, pressing my back to his front. "Then relax." His arms move down mine, lining us up and moving me into position. My stomach jolted with nerves.

His body formed around mine, his cool fingers pressed down lining up with my own. I listened to his directions, pushing back against his palms atop mine, curious and malleable. My head lulled back, his chin moved closer to me, pressing into my hair. He took a breath, lingering with our bodies so close, before he pressed forward. His long lean legs hugged me, making me feel safe, making me feel like I'm the only girl he's ever known.

I was in position, resisting him only slightly so when he moved his fingers across the keys mine can keep up. He had all the control. His chilled breath brushed over my ear and I flushed, warmed and chilled simultaneously. Around Edward, my body will never be in agreeance with itself.

"Ready?" He whispered, making an already intimate moment something else, something beyond all my expectations. Something out of a fairy tale, something impossible. This had to mean more to Edward too, something special. I let out a shaky breath and nodded, too afraid to speak. He moved my fingers across the keys, I kept my fingers flexible and firm against his.

We'd gone through so much.

We had so much we still had to do.

Yet when my fingers pressed down on my right hand, Edward's long fingers molded to them... It was just us. The world no longer existed. The piano rang out, soft and slow as we both adjusted to this new discovery.

Edward could play through me.

He tested the keys and my fingers on the right hand, his skin gliding along mine. My back to his chest and my forehead turned under his neck. I closed my eyes, trying not to think or react so his song could be preformed. His breath evened out, his heart still and lifeless in his chest. And it didn't unnerve me. This was Edward.

Edward was showing me something.

When he was comfortable, he started moving my fingers more and two at a time. I was lax, and firm against him, and a melody was created from the tips of my fingers, from Edward. It flowed and sped up, faster and faster, the notes drifting around me, speaking to me in another language that Edward seemed to understand.

It was beautiful. I knew composers, I knew the standard Claire de Lune, Swan Lake, and Piano Sonata in E Minor, but this was different. This was Edward, and I think I understood. I think I got it, but I still needed to hear it from him.

I needed him to say to my face that he trusted me and didn't blame me if he was stuck like this forever.

"Do you doubt me still?" His whisper broke me, the music stopped and I pulled my hands back as if flinching from his voice. Esme came down the stairs, distracting me and giving me a reason not to respond. It seems I didn't need to, since he sighed, knowing the answer.

"That was beautiful." Esme's voice was higher than normal. She was freaked out but trying to hide it the best she could. "That wasn't you playing."

"Edward. He's very good." I dipped my head down, pressing it against the place his heart should be. I couldn't see Esme, but she could see me. His arms formed around me, my crossed ones being covered with his.

"He can... touch you? So, can all ghosts..." My back straightened. So she didn't think I was freaky, or that Edward playing through me was weird. She could roll with the punches. She was worried that I couldn't just see ghosts; she was worried that they were tangible to me, able to touch and hurt me.

"Honestly, Edward is the first that I've been close enough too... And sometimes I go through him too. I think he's just different, since he's not really dead." Not a lie, but my face heated. I felt like Edward and I were caught doing something inappropriate. She couldn't see how close Edward was, she didn't see his nose pressed behind my ear lobe.

If she could, she'd have pursued her lips and told us 'twelve inches'. Occasionally I think Esme was raised in a catholic school. Who has a 'ruler' rule for how far apart girls and boys need to be? Alice and her last douche boyfriend had only been told the rule once. He hadn't come over after that.

"I have to go in," Esme told me, her eyes dropping for a fraction letting me know she felt bad about leaving me here. "Carlisle will be home in four hours. Will you be alright here alone?" I nod, thinking about something else I'd like to do.

"Actually, will you take me with you? I'll sit with Edward and read at the hospital." Her shoulders dropped a fraction. She wanted me to be close and she liked this turn of events. Carlisle would keep an eye on me, and I hadn't seen Edward's body for awhile. She motioned for me to get ready and turned to finish herself.

"Do you understand Bella?" Edward hadn't dropped it. I looked up at him, hopeful and scared... but determined. I would figure this out with him before it was too late. You know the saying, better to love and lost, then never to have loved at all. So I shook my head no, I didn't really understand, and I was giving him the opportunity to explain.

"I don't know what we are, but whatever this is, it's too much, too big to be summed up. If I get my body back, I'd very much like to claim you as mine. To tell the world that just how lucky I am. Don't you understand? My very soul, me, this right now, it's yours." So my face burned as it never has before.

That was so much better than those three silly words.

"Ditto." His laugh filled the room and I knew we'd be more than just fine. We just had to survive the impending apocalypse and get his body back. Oh, and it would be nice if he stopped lying and started talking. Regardless, it was time for more kissing, the rest could wait.


End file.
